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.
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Prototype Reflector Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Reportedly the first ellipsoidal reflector lamp. See U.S. patent #4,041,344 issued to Frank LaGuisa.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1976
- maker
- General Electric Company
- ID Number
- 1985.0410.01
- accession number
- 1985.0410
- catalog number
- 1985.0410.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Reproduction Edison Lamp with Box
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp was mass-produced for the centennial of Edison’s invention.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1979
- ID Number
- 1984.0314.03
- accession number
- 1984.0314
- catalog number
- 1984.0314.03
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Experimental Carbon Filament Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Experimental incandescent lamp used at the U.S. Government Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1880
- maker
- Farmer, Moses G.
- ID Number
- EM.181978
- catalog number
- 181978
- accession number
- 2015.0173
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Experimental Incandescent Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Experimental incandescent lamp, U.S. Patent #210809. The radiator consists of a copper ribbon folded into 5 strips.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1878
- maker
- Sawyer, William E.
- ID Number
- EM.308581
- catalog number
- 308581
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 210809
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Experimental Incandescent Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Experimental incandescent lamp, U.S. Patent # 247380. A ribbon radiator will glow but short-circuit before melting.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1881
- associated person
- Maxim, Hiram S.
- maker
- Maxim, Hiram S.
- ID Number
- EM.308595
- catalog number
- 308595
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 247380
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tungsten Filament Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- A coiled-tungsten filament 300 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1922
- maker
- General Electric Company
- ID Number
- EM.307563
- catalog number
- 307563
- accession number
- 68492
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Incandescent Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- Incandescent lamp, U.S. Patent #344343. The lamp has two glass envelopes to prevent breakage due to cold air.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1886
- maker
- Buell, Charles E.
- ID Number
- EM.308601
- catalog number
- 308601
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 344343
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Optical Test Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Incandescent optical testing lamp. A glass tube is mounted perpendicular to the lamp axis at the light-center point.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1918
- associated user
- unknown
- ID Number
- EM.327618
- catalog number
- 327618
- accession number
- 268279
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Incandescent Lamp Holder
- Description (Brief)
- Wooden pedestal mount with lamp socket for Maxim lamp. Three screws are mounted on the base, the center one is a switch.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1880
- maker
- Farmer, Moses G.
- Maxim, Hiram S.
- ID Number
- EM.181979
- catalog number
- 181979
- accession number
- 2015.0173
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Nernst Incandescent Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- Invented by Walther Nernst, this incandescent lamp could operate in open air and did not violate Edison’s patents. The housing is sectioned for study of the internal ballast resistance mechanism. The glower consists of six iron rods coated with rare-earth elements. The coating gives off light when heated and protects the rod from oxidation.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1902
- associated person
- Nernst, Walther
- maker
- Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co.
- ID Number
- EM.214330
- catalog number
- 214330
- accession number
- 38852
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
