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.

Mock-up of experimental tungsten halogen Gemini lamp with two 60 volt miniature halogen capsules wired in series.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Mock-up of experimental tungsten halogen Gemini lamp with two 60 volt miniature halogen capsules wired in series.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1974-01-17
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.10
catalog number
1996.0147.10
accession number
1996.0147
Experimental lamp made to test the effects of mercury-iodide fill gas in an arc lamp.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental lamp made to test the effects of mercury-iodide fill gas in an arc lamp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1962
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.08
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.08
Experimental arc-lamp with welded foil leads and test leads attached.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental arc-lamp with welded foil leads and test leads attached.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.73
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.73
Group of five arc lamp pre-pinches in various states of assembly and one lead fragment.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Group of five arc lamp pre-pinches in various states of assembly and one lead fragment.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.3042.94
nonaccession number
1996.3042
catalog number
1996.3042.94
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
Box of electrode assemblies and molybdenum foils for experimental mini-arc lamps. Electrodes of assorted sizes.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Box of electrode assemblies and molybdenum foils for experimental mini-arc lamps. Electrodes of assorted sizes.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968-06-24
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.3042.22
nonaccession number
1996.3042
catalog number
1996.3042.22
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 arc lamp. Ribbon foils are welded to electrodes with large surface area. Metal end caps on both seals.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental arc lamp. Ribbon foils are welded to electrodes with large surface area. Metal end caps on both seals.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1966
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.72
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.72
Original mini-arc lamp with argon and iodine. The quartz envelope uses uranium glass for graded seals.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Original mini-arc lamp with argon and iodine. The quartz envelope uses uranium glass for graded seals.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1960
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.28
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.28
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with filament legs coiled around ends of the leads.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with filament legs coiled around ends of the leads.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1963
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.37
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.37
Experimental mini-arc lamp designed to test short arc-gap.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mini-arc lamp designed to test short arc-gap.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1968
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.27
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.27
Experimental mini-arc lamp with a round quartz arc-tube mounted inside an outer envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mini-arc lamp with a round quartz arc-tube mounted inside an outer envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1967
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.79
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.79
Experimental 5,000 watt mini-arc lamp with indium-iodide fill gas and mercury "thinner."Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental 5,000 watt mini-arc lamp with indium-iodide fill gas and mercury "thinner."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1967
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.14
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.14
Incomplete experimental arc lamp. Excess glass has not been trimmed from the seal ends and the leads are loose.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Incomplete experimental arc lamp. Excess glass has not been trimmed from the seal ends and the leads are loose.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1967
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.69
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.69
Pre-pinches used to make mini-arc lamps showing foil seals for tipless lamp construction.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Pre-pinches used to make mini-arc lamps showing foil seals for tipless lamp construction.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1969
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.21
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.21
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz wool designed to improve safety and provide light diffusion.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz wool designed to improve safety and provide light diffusion.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1974
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.15
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.15
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.82
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.82
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps from at least three test series.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps from at least three test series.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.81
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.81
Welded foil electrode assemblies for mini-arc lamps made by welding tungsten rods to a piece of flattened molybdenum.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Welded foil electrode assemblies for mini-arc lamps made by welding tungsten rods to a piece of flattened molybdenum.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1968
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.23
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.23
Experimental arc lamp with quartz envelope, diffusion-bonded foils and a white ceramic coating on the seals.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental arc lamp with quartz envelope, diffusion-bonded foils and a white ceramic coating on the seals.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1967
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.75
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.75
Quartz spheres used to seal laser-drilled exhaust holes in tungsten halogen lamps.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Quartz spheres used to seal laser-drilled exhaust holes in tungsten halogen lamps.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1972-09-02
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.29
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.29
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
Set of experimental Gemini lamp parts including a filament, quartz envelopes, tungsten strips, and fiber washers.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of experimental Gemini lamp parts including a filament, quartz envelopes, tungsten strips, and fiber washers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1972
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.98
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.98
Pre-pinch assembly for making tipless arc lamps. Molybdenum foil pressed into quartz tube.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Pre-pinch assembly for making tipless arc lamps. Molybdenum foil pressed into quartz tube.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1967
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.13
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.13

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