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
A lamp with Baltimore Gas & Electric anniversary wrapper. Mailed to customers as part of a load-building program.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A lamp with Baltimore Gas & Electric anniversary wrapper. Mailed to customers as part of a load-building program.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1966
1966
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0387.19
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.19
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
A short-arc mercury vapor lamp for projection use.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A short-arc mercury vapor lamp for projection use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.48
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.48
Krypton-filled "Super Bulb". Adding krypton gas to an incandescent lamp slightly boosts energy efficiency.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Krypton-filled "Super Bulb". Adding krypton gas to an incandescent lamp slightly boosts energy efficiency.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1968
1968-10
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.51
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.51
A sales demonstration fluorescent lamp with wrapper. Clear end reveals electrode structure.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A sales demonstration fluorescent lamp with wrapper. Clear end reveals electrode structure.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1966
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0387.18
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.18
Krypton-filled "Super Bulb". Adding krypton gas to an incandescent lamp slightly boosts energy efficiency.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Krypton-filled "Super Bulb". Adding krypton gas to an incandescent lamp slightly boosts energy efficiency.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.21
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.21
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
This lamp’s envelope was made with both “soft white” and “internal-frost” coatings as a sales demonstration.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This lamp’s envelope was made with both “soft white” and “internal-frost” coatings as a sales demonstration.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.27
catalog number
1997.0389.27
accession number
1997.0389
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
“Colortone” incandescent lamp rated at 10 watts. The lamp is made with red glass rather than being spray-coated.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
“Colortone” incandescent lamp rated at 10 watts. The lamp is made with red glass rather than being spray-coated.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.25
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.25
A sales demonstration fluorescent lamp in original package. One-half of the tube is made with titanium glass.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A sales demonstration fluorescent lamp in original package. One-half of the tube is made with titanium glass.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0387.13
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.13
Experimental mercury vapor lamp made with a heavy phosphor coating to improve the color of the light.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental mercury vapor lamp made with a heavy phosphor coating to improve the color of the light.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.43
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.43
“Super Hi” mercury vapor lamp rated at 400 watts. Metal reflectors on the arc tube and the unusually shaped electrodes.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
“Super Hi” mercury vapor lamp rated at 400 watts. Metal reflectors on the arc tube and the unusually shaped electrodes.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1960
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.50
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.50
High pressure sodium lamp with “Corstar Sapphire” arc tube. The clear arc-tube is an artificial single-crystal.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
High pressure sodium lamp with “Corstar Sapphire” arc tube. The clear arc-tube is an artificial single-crystal.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
2001.0084.04
accession number
2001.0084
catalog number
2001.0084.04
“Cameo” incandescent lamp in original package. The textured envelope scatters light in a decorative pattern.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
“Cameo” incandescent lamp in original package. The textured envelope scatters light in a decorative pattern.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
ID Number
1997.0389.34
catalog number
1997.0389.34
accession number
1997.0389

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