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Connected London

9 March 2004

Connected London, a quirky new Capital Concerns exhibition at the Museum of London from 30 January-25 April 2004.

Got a cool mobile? You’re already history! Just 125 years ago, the first telephone call in London was made. Today, 75% of adults and one in nine children under ten years old in London own a mobile phone.

Connected London, a quirky new Capital Concerns exhibition at the Museum of London from 30 January – 25 April 2004, looks at our love affair with the invention that has transformed the way we communicate with each other, affecting every aspect of our lives, from flirting to high finance.

Many of the objects on display, like the Bell patent telephone of 1878 and the gold 2- millionth London telephone of 1954, come from the unique Connected Earth collection. Through these, and other artefacts ranging from notes sent by balloon and pigeon post to the latest in designer mobiles, the exhibition explores how Londoners have connected with each other in the past, looks at the phenomenal success of the mobile, and speculates on possible developments like e-voting and e-trading.

Curious phone facts, film and sound recordings combine with the objects to produce an entertaining exhibition. Did you know that the first London phone directory, issued in 1880, contained just 250 subscribers

Do you remember those blue police telephone posts? Or do you remember when telephone operators used phrases like ‘You’re through caller’ and ‘Your time is up. Will you finish please.’?

Either way, GET OFF THAT FONE & C U L8ER AT THE EX: