The entrance to the Museum is in Bridge Street Row on the first floor, there are numerous wireless sets, gramophones and books on display in the reception area and are all for sale. The sets have been fully restored and are in working order. After paying the entrance fee you can enter the museum and go back in time to see and hear how radio began!
In this first exhibition room you can see how radio waves are generated and see your own voice modulating a radio wave. There are radio sets on display from the 1920's and the 1930's. Other exhibits include one of the transmitting coils from Moorside Edge and a typical wireless set up in a parlour which you can look in on through the window. Further inside there is a typical wireless shop complete with bicycle! You can look inside the shop and see lots of wireless sets and spares. There are good examples of wireless adverts and the atmosphere is quite electric (whoops sorry!) - realistic.
Wireless during wartime is the next theme, there is an air-raid shelter complete with Utility radio and even a Gas mask! There is an interesting display containing a clandestine miniature radio transmitter and receiver set. You can listen to some of the wartime broadcasts and there is an armed forces TX/RX station that you can tune in and listen to through headphones. The next part of the exibition goes to the 1950's and is dedicated to television. You can watch some vintage television on a 405 lines set and even be a TV camera operator yourself in the studio. Towards the end of the tour we now come right up to date with one of the smallest camcorders available and an assortment of radio memorabilia from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's.
This virtual tour is only a small sample of what is on offer in the museum, so why not visit it in person the next time you are in Chester? - Hope to see you Soon!