Offering a visually staggering narrative of the global journey of technological metamorphosis from the 1st industrial revolution of technology to the fifth industrial revolution of technology, The ICT museum Multimedia University of Kenya is a fascinating mingling of the old and recent technology.
The technological artifact display in the museum offers a vista which is a beauty that is rare to find anywhere else in Kenya .I mean, where else can you get an artifact like a telegram machine to see how it works? On an interview with the manager of the ICT museum Samuel Odoyo Nyiendo, he explained that the ICT museum was a product of the changes made during the deregulation which affected Universities and other institutions back in 1997,2005,2007.These changes included people switching from the manual communication switching, to the digital communication switching which was wireless.
By 2004, people had run away from the analogue network, to the digital network. Everything was transforming in various institutions and the currently known Multimedia university of Kenya was back then known as the East African poster and telecommunication, also had to transfigure as well adopting the digital networks such as the Global system for mobile communication(GSM) and the enhance telecom accessed network.
The manager explains worries aroused that the transformation meant that the institution was going to lose the complete heritage that they had if they were not going to preserve them .
”the most sensible part was that we were going to lose that complete heritage if we were not going to preserve them”. Mr Odoyo explained.
This idea catalyzed the innovation where they collected the gadgets around the institution and put them in a hall where they were to retain the old system and merge up the new system to help drive up the new innovation.
“There is no need to reinvent the wheel and we already have one” he added.
As you set a foot in the museum, some of the most pronounced antique exhibits are the telephony networks. The manager comprehensibly explains the metamorphosis journey of telephony as it climbs the tree to the recent smart phone era.
He further explained that the Morse code telephone invented by Samuel F.B Morse back in the 1856 is one of the oldest gadgets in the museum. It was later made wireless by the Marconi incorporation in the US back in 1896 which laid foundation of wired and wireless communication.
Did you know back in 1912, when the famous titanic ship was sinking, the cabin crew used the Morse code to try and communicate to the mainland? The Morse code was also used heavily in the first and second world war for communication.30 years later, there was a change from the Morse code to the telegram.
Later in the 1960,there was he introduction of the strowger automatic telephone switch which consisted of the magneto telephone which had a hand cracked electrical generator used to generate electrical current to drive electromechanical ringers in distant telephone sets and on operator consoles and also at the same time, the automatic telephone and the lottery dial which were the first telephones with automatic switching capabilities were also invented.
In the 1980, there was the introduction of the fax machine and the car phone. In the 1990,1992,1995 there was introduction integrated services network and the cordless telephone. From 1995 to 1999, there was the introduction of wireless GSM which consisted of feature phones which had internet introduced back in the 1998.
From the year 2000 to 2010 there was now the introduction of smart phones which are known for their incredible features such as operating by touching the screen and their ability to a have a long range of communication. These telephony gadgets from the Morse code to the modern day smartphones are all in display in the museum, and one is able to physically see this telephony evolution step by step in the museum.
However, he noted that there are some distinctive features that are found in antique phones and lack in the modern day phones include the fixed with cable characteristic which gadgets with this characteristic were referred to as cable telephones and also the Morse code which was present In the old networks, is absent in the modern day phones.
”The old phones were fixed with cable, in other words they were cable type and also the Morse code is absent today” explained Mr Odoyo.
Some other old gadgets in the museum’s display includes the telegram machine, fax machine and the postal and courier networks which is regarded as the oldest of all dating back in 475 BC.
The telephony network exhibits in the museum is just a fraction of the vast capacity of different type of antique exhibits in the museum which include computers, cameras, televisions, radios and also some upcoming fifth industrial revolution machine which is the current one which include virtual reality machines.
The manager also explains that 70% of the exhibits were in house meaning that they were already in the institution and were rearranged in the hall. The other 30% comes from donations from companies such as Safaricom and telecom. The school staff have donated the equipment which they get from their trips around the world.
” about 70% are gadgets which are in house, we found them there we just rearranged them and the rest of the 30% , companies have donated them such as Safaricom, telecom Kenya and also the staff when they go around the world, you see some of them carrying equipment in their bags to come and donate” States Mr Odoyo.
The ICT museum is open to learning institutions and also the general public who wish to go an witness the masterpiece technological exhibit displayed in the hall.
It’s unique nature of the ICT museum has attracted gigundous number of these visitors especially from learning institutions large numbers coming from high schools and also other universities and colleges. These groups are required to write a letter and pay a certain amount which the manager did not disclose to the ICT management so as to be granted permission to visit the museum.
The manager spotlights that majority of the visitors around 40 % come from Machakos which is incredible, followed by the Mt Kenya region then others are scattered across the country and this serves as a great source of income. He states that visitors are advised to visit the museum in groups since they are easier to manage.
” we encourage our visitors to visit as a group since it is easier to manage compared to managing a single individual. “says Mr Odoyo.
Pauline Munenge, a computer teacher in Kibirichia secondary school had a privilege visiting the multimedia University of Kenya together with her computer students where they had the concession to visit the ICT museum. She explained that they were enthusiastic in being enlightened about the origin and future of computers and said that they learnt a lot from the museum.
“we had visited to learn more on computers ,where they originated from and where we are going in the future in the world of computing and so far we have learnt a lot from the visit in the museum and the students have been able to see the past computer machines that were used and also the recent ones” stated madam Pauline.
Students in the Multimedia University of Kenya have the privileges’ of enjoying the museum anytime when it’s open free of charge.
Edith Jacobeth, a second year journalism student in the university shares her experience and describes the museum as a rare technological work of art
“I have taken advantage of the fact that a student from this university is given a benefit to visit the museum anytime he/she wants without paying which is a golden opportunity especially for some technology thirsty students like me. I aspire to engage myself in the tech world as a journalism and the museum has helped me dig deep in the world of technology and gather knowledge that has expanded my technology knowledge. The Museum is just awesome given the fact that tech related museums are rare,” said Edith.
Students and other individuals who often come in groups are offered a guided tour in the museum by the museum staff in a guided and a more interactive and engaging way giving them a chance to have a good understanding about the museum.
Mr Odoyo also highlighted some challenges which have been affecting the museum. A major concern was the equipment shrinkage which comes as a result of people visiting the museum especially students and are often tempted to steal after touching the exhibits since they are on open display.
“equipment that are on display, majority of them are in working order and exposed .They are small gadgets and are exposed on the table and in working order for example handsets ,optical fiber and the UTP cables and because of the openness, people come and touch them especially university people who come around are tempted to steal and so we suffer a lot of theft” Mr Odoyo explained.
Other individuals also touch the exhibits carelessly and as a result they drop them thus the exhibits are vulnerable to breakages which is also catalyzed by old age. In order to protect these exhibits especially the most vulnerable ones such as handsets, the museum took an initiative to store them in glass which guarantees safety.
”Because of old age, the very delicate ones such as the handsets, we have closed them in glass.”Mr Odoyo stated.
The manager further confirmed that there were plans to expand the ICT museum and accommodate other related artefacts and also accommodate the 5th industrial revolution tech which includes robots, virtual gadgets, drones, google translator among others.
”we are introducing the 5th industrial technology in one of the segments which include robots, virtual gadgets, drones, google translators, all that kind of thing” said mr Odoyo.
This idea came as a result of benchmarking other museums since they are members of the world museum. He said that the benchmarking will help them redesign themselves.
” benchmarking what other museums have done and redesigning ourselves with the possibility of expansion” explains Mr Odoyo.
He also added that the ICT museum will have an exhibit show where they will allow people to pick souvenirs if excess.
”We will also allow people to pick souvenirs if excess since there is no need to keep excess material”.mr Odoyo noted.
Whether you are looking for an educational experience or just want to regard the backdrop and recent technological strides and famous works of technological art, the Multimedia is the perfect place for you.
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