Heading to Melbourne for the footy finals or to cure your caffeine cravings? Our suggestion for those visiting Australia’s sporting and coffee capital is to allocate some time to check out the new National Communication Museum Melbourne. Alongside a retro exhibition that celebrates the history of communication, last weekend the venue also welcomed Sophia, the world’s first robot citizen.
Who is Sophia?
Forget the trite tour guides of your primary school excursions! Sophia does not look like your average tour guide (although you’d be forgiven for being confused!) because she’s not! As a humanoid robot, she is the first non-human to be granted legal citizenship, courtesy of Saudi Arabia, and she also serves as an Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program. Captivating and charming, with advanced conversational skills and a personality that draws you in, Sophia appeared at the opening weekend of the National Communication Museum Melbourne (on September 21, 2024) – where visitors had the chance to engage with her in unscripted interactions and ask her questions about her favourite exhibits or the future of communication. This unique opportunity to meet a humanoid robot in the flesh was a first for Australia – making a visit to the museum truly unforgettable.
Taking the retro route
The National Communication Museum (NCM) is Melbourne’s first major museum debut in nearly 25 years! Nestled in a refurbished 1930s telephone exchange in Hawthorn, NCM is a brilliant blend of nostalgia and newness. It invites guests on a fascinating journey through the history of communication technology – and offers a glimpse into the future, celebrating everything from rotary phones to the rise of the internet.
As you step into NCM, prepare to be greeted by a treasure trove of communication artifacts that evoke waves of nostalgia. Think phone boxes, quirky burger phones, and even the speaking clock, which you could call to find out the time until it shut down in 2019. Emily Siddon, Co-CEO and Artistic Director, describes it as “a trip down memory lane” that also explores the present and future of communication.
But it’s not all about the past. The museum tackles thought-provoking questions about our future interactions. How far are we from uploading our consciousness? What does the rise of artificial intelligence mean for human communication? These inquiries invite visitors to consider how technology will reshape the way we connect with one another.
Exhibitions that excite
NCM features a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions spread across two dynamic levels. Visitors can dive into First Nations storytelling, relive the ’90s in a retro internet café, or experience a working historical telephone exchange that brings the past to life. The museum also boasts a dedicated Kids Hub to inspire the next generation of tech enthusiasts!
One of the standout exhibits is the Speaking Clock, a nostalgic nod to the telecommunications mainstay, now restored with the familiar voice of Aussie radio broadcaster, journalist, and actor, Gordon Gow. You can even meet Diamandini, a mysterious humanoid robot who listens to Gow’s voice and develops her own sonic systems. Other key attractions include an interactive sonic adventure inspired by regional phone booths, and Research Labs that connect visitors with local innovation stories, both successful and less so.
For those who crave a bit of contemporary intrigue, two major temporary exhibitions are now on display. Instruments of Surveillance showcases a quirky collection, including an invisibility coat, robotic birds, and even a WW2 Enigma machine. Meanwhile, The Artificial Sky explores the human-made satellites orbiting our planet, presented in collaboration with Swinburne University of Technology.
