Energy & Power

The Museum's collections on energy and power illuminate the role of fire, steam, wind, water, electricity, and the atom in the nation's history. The artifacts include wood-burning stoves, water turbines, and windmills, as well as steam, gas, and diesel engines. Oil-exploration and coal-mining equipment form part of these collections, along with a computer that controlled a power plant and even bubble chambers—a tool of physicists to study protons, electrons, and other charged particles.

A special strength of the collections lies in objects related to the history of electrical power, including generators, batteries, cables, transformers, and early photovoltaic cells. A group of Thomas Edison's earliest light bulbs are a precious treasure. Hundreds of other objects represent the innumerable uses of electricity, from streetlights and railway signals to microwave ovens and satellite equipment.

Experimental mercury vapor lamp with clear envelope, rated at 250 watt. The arc-tube is breached in this unit.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mercury vapor lamp with clear envelope, rated at 250 watt. The arc-tube is breached in this unit.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1951
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.46
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.46
Experimental mercury vapor lamp rated at 1000 watts. Typewritten label indicates a test run of "12,120 hours.”Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mercury vapor lamp rated at 1000 watts. Typewritten label indicates a test run of "12,120 hours.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.44
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.44
Early experimental tungsten halogen lamp made in mid 1955 by co-inventor Elmer Fridrich.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Early experimental tungsten halogen lamp made in mid 1955 by co-inventor Elmer Fridrich.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.01
catalog number
1996.0147.01
accession number
1996.0147
Experimental tungsten-halogen lamp made during a study of the effects of differing concentrations of iodine.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten-halogen lamp made during a study of the effects of differing concentrations of iodine.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.04
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.04
Experimental fluorescent lamp with internal structure. A spiral glass rod allows higher current levels to be used.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental fluorescent lamp with internal structure. A spiral glass rod allows higher current levels to be used.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1958
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
ID Number
2001.0084.14
accession number
2001.0084
catalog number
2001.0084.14
Electroluminescent switch plate, rated at .2 watts. Serves as both a night-light and to help locate the switch.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Electroluminescent switch plate, rated at .2 watts. Serves as both a night-light and to help locate the switch.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1958
maker
Sylvania Electric Products Inc.
ID Number
1998.0005.03
catalog number
1998.0005.03
accession number
1998.0005
A GE incandescent lamp for underwater use, circa 1957. [See GE 1957 catalog pp. 14, 21.] Catalog indicates that the unit's list price was $40, rated life was 50 hours, and it was designed "to withstand 300 lbs. of water pressure." Characteristics: Brass tube base (1.25" dia.
Description (Brief)
A GE incandescent lamp for underwater use, circa 1957. [See GE 1957 catalog pp. 14, 21.] Catalog indicates that the unit's list price was $40, rated life was 50 hours, and it was designed "to withstand 300 lbs. of water pressure." Characteristics: Brass tube base (1.25" dia. x 6" L) originally made with a 3" rubber-coated cable lead. Lead on this unit has been cut to 1.25". Two 1/4" holes are punched near the bottom. C-5 tungsten filament with six upper and five lower supports. The ends of the filament are welded to the leads. Glass support-mount is attached to leads with two wires. Tungsten powder is loose in lamp to clean the inner lamp wall of tungsten boiled-off the filament. Tipless, G-25 envelope. The patent for the tungsten powder cleaning technique is US1809661, "Electric Lamp," issued to GE's Daniel K. Wright on 9 June 1931.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1957
Maker
General Electric
ID Number
1997.0388.21
accession number
1997.0388
catalog number
1997.0388.21
Experimental electroluminescent panel. This flexible panel provides low-level, diffuse light.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental electroluminescent panel. This flexible panel provides low-level, diffuse light.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1958
maker
Sylvania Electric Products Inc.
ID Number
1998.0005.04
catalog number
1998.0005.04
accession number
1998.0005
Sylvania tungsten lamp with a coiled-coil filament.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Sylvania tungsten lamp with a coiled-coil filament.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Sylvania Electric Products Inc.
ID Number
1992.0342.31
accession number
1992.0342
catalog number
1992.0342.31
Scientists and inventors in the 19th century recognized that some materials respond electrically to exposure to light. Alexander Graham Bell, for example, demonstrated in 1880 a “photophone” that could transmit voices using the action of sunlight on selenium.
Description (Brief)
Scientists and inventors in the 19th century recognized that some materials respond electrically to exposure to light. Alexander Graham Bell, for example, demonstrated in 1880 a “photophone” that could transmit voices using the action of sunlight on selenium. In the 1930s, Daryl Chapin studied magnetic recording at Bell Labs but later shifted to research on generating electricity with sunlight. In 1954, building on earlier work done by colleague Russell Ohl on fused silicon, Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson invented a practical solar cell. In 1969 Chapin donated two of his experimental solar cells to the Smithsonian. He also donated a module used in a test installation in Americus, Georgia, to power a rural telephone relay.
date made
1955
maker
Bell Laboratories
ID Number
EM.330094
catalog number
330094
accession number
285748
Transistors, invented at Bell Labs in 1947, gave engineers a powerful new tool for controlling the flow of electrons in circuits. Previous electronic devices used vacuum tubes that were fragile and consumed a lot of electricity.
Description (Brief)
Transistors, invented at Bell Labs in 1947, gave engineers a powerful new tool for controlling the flow of electrons in circuits. Previous electronic devices used vacuum tubes that were fragile and consumed a lot of electricity. Transistors like these 2N337 units from 1957 proved far more reliable and needed very little power to function. The clear plastic block holds two examples of this silicon transistor design, one of which has the cover removed to show construction details. The 2N337 served as a high-speed switch for use in circuits on satellites.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1958
maker
Texas Instruments
ID Number
1987.0487.030
catalog number
1987.0487.030
collector/donor number
G00270
accession number
1987.0487
Two tungsten halogen lamps connected by a glass tube to study an electric arc in a mercury-vapor atmosphere.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Two tungsten halogen lamps connected by a glass tube to study an electric arc in a mercury-vapor atmosphere.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1956
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.05
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.05
Experimental mercury vapor lamp with clear envelope, rated at 400 watt.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mercury vapor lamp with clear envelope, rated at 400 watt.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.47
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.47
Bell Labs researchers Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson invented a practical solar cell in 1954. The company adapted the invention to power telephone equipment in remote locations and licensed the technology to other companies.
Description (Brief)
Bell Labs researchers Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson invented a practical solar cell in 1954. The company adapted the invention to power telephone equipment in remote locations and licensed the technology to other companies. This early experimental cell still generates a small amount of electricity today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1954
maker
Bell Laboratories
ID Number
2016.0061.01
accession number
2016.0061
catalog number
2016.0061.01
Lamp with tungsten ribbon-filament used to provide light in microscopes. Packed in original wrapper and box.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Lamp with tungsten ribbon-filament used to provide light in microscopes. Packed in original wrapper and box.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
Maker
General Electric Co.
ID Number
1997.0221.01
accession number
1997.0221
catalog number
1997.0221.01
Type CL-2 low pressure sodium lamp. These lamps are very efficient but only give a stark yellow light.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Type CL-2 low pressure sodium lamp. These lamps are very efficient but only give a stark yellow light.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
ID Number
2001.0084.08
accession number
2001.0084
catalog number
2001.0084.08
Scientists and inventors in the 19th century recognized that some materials respond electrically to exposure to light. Alexander Graham Bell, for example, demonstrated in 1880 a “photophone” that could transmit voices using the action of sunlight on selenium.
Description (Brief)
Scientists and inventors in the 19th century recognized that some materials respond electrically to exposure to light. Alexander Graham Bell, for example, demonstrated in 1880 a “photophone” that could transmit voices using the action of sunlight on selenium. In the 1930s, Daryl Chapin studied magnetic recording at Bell Labs but later shifted to research on generating electricity with sunlight. In 1954, building on earlier work done by colleague Russell Ohl on fused silicon, Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson invented a practical solar cell. In 1969 Chapin donated two of his experimental solar cells to the Smithsonian. He also donated a module used in a test installation in Americus, Georgia, to power a rural telephone relay.
date made
1954-03-03
1954
associated date
1954
associated user
unknown
maker
Bell Laboratories
ID Number
EM.330095
catalog number
330095
accession number
285748
Experimental fluorescent lamp. A glass rod on each stem assembly allows higher current levels and raises efficiency.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental fluorescent lamp. A glass rod on each stem assembly allows higher current levels and raises efficiency.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1958
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
ID Number
2001.0084.13
accession number
2001.0084
catalog number
2001.0084.13
This object, the focusing assembly from the second maser, was made at Columbia University in 1954 by a team led by physicist Charles H. Townes. Maser stands for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Description
This object, the focusing assembly from the second maser, was made at Columbia University in 1954 by a team led by physicist Charles H. Townes. Maser stands for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Masers operate on the same principals as lasers, but they amplify microwaves instead of light. In fact, masers came first. Microwaves have lower energy levels than light and so were easier to produce, although the maser was not a simple invention.
After working on microwave radar and other devices during the Second World War, Townes undertook investigations of microwave spectroscopy at Columbia University. Working with James Gordon and Herbert Zeigler, he successfully demonstrated an ammonia-beam maser in April 1954. The unit was quite large so Townes developed a smaller unit later that year, several pieces of which were donated to the Smithsonian in 1965.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1954
associated date
1953
maker
Townes, Charles H.
ID Number
EM.323893
catalog number
323893
accession number
260038
Electroluminescent lamp made for demonstration purposes, rated at 4 watts.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Electroluminescent lamp made for demonstration purposes, rated at 4 watts.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1958
maker
Sylvania Electric Products Inc.
ID Number
1998.0005.02
catalog number
1998.0005.02
accession number
1998.0005
Incandescent infra-red lamp for drying. These large and bulky lamps were replaced by tungsten halogen heat lamps.Production Incandescent Lamp, Infra-red Drying lamp. 500 watts. Steel bi-pin base. Triangular filament configuration. Circa 1955.
Description (Brief)
Incandescent infra-red lamp for drying. These large and bulky lamps were replaced by tungsten halogen heat lamps.
Production Incandescent Lamp, Infra-red Drying lamp. 500 watts. Steel bi-pin base. Triangular filament configuration. Circa 1955. Printed on top: "Westinghouse Drying Lamp 500[W] 115V". "500-115" and "I-9 11/28/[5]5" handwritten on glass base.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1955
Maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.45
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.45
A type RS sunlamp in original package. Lamp produced ultra-violet rays for tanning purposes and did not need a ballast.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A type RS sunlamp in original package. Lamp produced ultra-violet rays for tanning purposes and did not need a ballast.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
Maker
General Electric
ID Number
1997.0387.24
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.24
Coiled tungsten filament lamp for use in a projector.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Coiled tungsten filament lamp for use in a projector.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
Maker
Western Union Corporation
ID Number
EM.333057
accession number
294351
catalog number
333057
Experimental flood lamp made during tests of halogen technology for potential use in photographic lighting.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental flood lamp made during tests of halogen technology for potential use in photographic lighting.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1956
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.06
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.06

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