Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum

The Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum offers a look at how communication evolved—from rotary dials to cell phones—inside a beautifully restored 1896 building. Knowledgeable volunteers bring exhibits to life through stories, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences.

MUST-DO CHECKLIST

• Use a Working Strowger Switch – Dial a rotary phone and watch the electro-mechanical switch connect your call just like it did a century ago.
• Operate Vintage Switchboards – Try your hand at patching calls on operator boards from the 1920s through the 1960s with help from expert docents.
• See Phones from Every Era – Follow the evolution of communication from crank phones and Bell replicas to military models and early mobile devices.
• Browse the Novelty Phone Collection – Discover whimsical phones shaped like R2-D2, Kermit the Frog, and other pop culture icons from the 1970s and ‘80s.
• Try the Pay Phone Simulator – Drop in coins, hear the clicks, and relive the tactile experience of making a call before smartphones ruled the world.

Cool Find: Should you be inspired to get a novelty phone before or after your visit, you’ve got options, like this classic desk phone (bright red, of course) and retro wall phone that comes in more than a half-dozen colors, including orange, red, and black. 

Photo Credit: Sharon Krist