American Museum of Radio and Electricity - Bellingham, Washington Discover the History of Electricity and Radio

The American Museum of Radio and Electricity located in Bellingham, Washington started out as the personal collection of avid collector Jonathan Winter. In 1985 he packed up his collection of antique radios and electric gadgets and moved north to Bellingham. He shared his collection with other radio fans and dubbed it the Bellingham Antique Radio Museum. To his surprise people from all over caught wind of the "museum'' and came to visit. Mr. Winter moved to a bigger space and the American Museum of Radio and Electricity was officially born.

In 1998 it became a non-profit organization under section 503c of the Internal Revenue Service code. Mr. Winter's collection of over 800 rare radios from the 1920's formed the foundation of the collection.

The American Museum of Radio and Electricity or AMRE for short, presents through its rich collection the 400 years of scientific and artistic discovery and accomplishment. The current galleries represent different time periods with the first representing the dawn of the electrical age of the 17th and 18th centuries. This gallery features Sir William Gilbert's groundbreaking book titled De Magnete as well as rare artifacts from the study of static electricity.

The second gallery features electricity and its uses during the 19th century. This era saw an explosion of electrical inventions that changed society forever. The world's first batteries, medicinal devices and inventions by Edison, Tesla, Morse and Volta are available for viewing.

The other three galleries are dedicated to the evolution of the radio and its impact on society. The Rise of Radio gallery features a replica of the wireless room of the Titanic, the Collins wireless telephone and many other inventions of the early radio pioneers. The Radio Enters the Home gallery features one of the most impressive collections of early radios ever assembled. The third and final radio gallery titled the Golden Age of Radio shows an array of radios that were found in the home when the radio was the main form of entertainment.

The main vision of the AMRE is to offer exciting and educational experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds using the medium of radio and electricity. Various inventions, writings, films and other achievements display the massive impact that radio and electricity have had on the entire world. Within the museum is a fully functional radio station and production studio. KMRE-LP 102.3 is a low powered station dedicated to bringing radio enthusiasts classic radio broadcasts as well as locally produced radio shows.

AMRE also offers visitors the chance to do more than admire the impressive collection. The emphasis on hands on interactive displays opens up the learner to a whole new level of excitement and appreciation for the displays. In many instances the visitors are encouraged to touch and handle the artifacts and figure out how they function.

The AMMRE is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm or by appointment. The cost of admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. There is an on-site gift shop allowing patrons to purchase items related to the museum.