295 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06854. Phone: 203-838-9799 ext 4.
Victorian era gadgets, technologies and breakthroughs will be on display at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum beginning April 17th through October 6, 2013 noon - 4 p.m. What Is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victorian Era will engage student and adult audiences in the exploration of mid-to-late 19th century inventions and discoveries in many diverse areas including communication, transportation, manufacturing, medicine, food and recreation. The What Is It? exhibit is curated by Raechel Guest. Professor Steven Lubar, a history of technology expert, serves as a special advisor. Visitors will view cutting-edge Victorian Era technology that were precursors of some of today’s technologies, including telegraphs, dictaphones, gas lighting and early examples of telephones, burglar alarms, stock tickers and much more. They will discover items we still see today, from board games to food such as condensed milk and breakfast cocoa. Artifacts on display include loans from Connecticut's Mattatuck Museum and the Museum of American Finance, New York City, among others.