MZTV Museum of Television and Archive

Interests flow into other interests, and so it is that I became determined to visit the MZTV Museum of Television and Archive … not for itself, but for its London-related exhibit on John Logie Baird (1888-1946).

The engineer and inventor is the subject of a blue plaque up on the wall of 22 Frith Street in London’s Soho that I’ve passed many times, so I wanted to learn more about this man and his achievements.

John Logie Baird Blue Plaque — credit: Spudgun67 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

The MZTV Museum did not disappoint. The exhibit text notes that:

It was there, in his new laboratory at 22 Frith Street, that JLB had his breakthrough, and became the first person to demonstrate a recognisable moving image by television.

Exciting stuff.

Also exciting is a program on display at the MZTV Museum from Baird’s demonstration of television at Selfridge’s on Oxford Street! (Yes, I find this exciting.)

The exhibit’s accompanying text reads:

In April of 1925, Baird was invited by Selfridge’s department store, to hold demonstrations of his fledgling television system. Baird received £20 per week to showcase his system to attract customers into the store. These demonstrations took place in the store’s electrical department at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 3:15pm, for three consecutive weeks.

Isn’t that extraordinary? I have so many questions now. I’m delighted to see that Robert Lordan has more on Baird at Selfridge’s here. And Selfridge’s has (or have, as they would say) tweeted another photo I’d not seen before. Great stuff.

90 years ago today John Logie Baird unveiled the television; here he is with his invention at #SelfridgesLondon pic.twitter.com/MB3ZA631yF

— Selfridges (@Selfridges) January 26, 2016

The museum holds plenty more of interest and is worth seeking out, in Toronto’s Liberty Village area.

MZTV Museum of Television and Archive is museum no. 47 in my #100museums challenge (see 100 Museums Challenge).