National Electronics Museum

Vietnam War aircrew lifeline: the AN/PRC-90 survival radio.⁠
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This compact UHF transceiver was a critical tool for downed pilots, transmitting on 243.0 MHz (military emergency) and 282.8 MHz (SAR-specific), both in AM. It featured voice, Morse code, and an automatic distress beacon, ensuring multiple ways to call for help. Later upgraded as the AN/PRC-90-1 and -2, it remained essential survival tech for decades.⁠
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If history fascinates you, follow our page!

Happy Birthday to the 'Lady of the Keys'! ⁠Born today in 1838, Louisa Volker proved that when the stakes are highest, courage is the only thing that matters. While others fled to the woods to avoid capture, Louisa reached for her telegraph key. 🛡️📟⁠
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If you’ve taken our "Tragedies and Triumphs" tour, you know her name. In September 1864, during a massive Confederate raid on her station in Mineral Point, Missouri, 26-year-old Louisa became the "mission-critical" heartbeat of the Union Army.⁠
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As enemy scouts burned bridges and cut lines around her, Louisa refused to leave her post. She stayed at her instrument for 48 hours straight without sleep, transmitting vital troop movements that saved a train full of refugees from a rebel ambush.⁠
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✨Keep up with the move: We are currently relocating the National Electronics Museum to our new home in Middle River! While our gallery is temporarily closed, we are taking our mission on the road with offsite STEAM workshops at YOUR location.⁠
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Follow us to keep up with our move and for more highlights on the legendary women in tech who held the line.

The world knows her for the code that sent us to the Moon, but at the National Electronics Museum, we celebrate Margaret Hamilton’s role in a different kind of mission-critical frontier: The SAGE Project.⁠
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Between 1961 and 1963, Hamilton was at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, tackling one of the most complex challenges of the Cold War. She wrote the code for the AN/FSQ-7—the massive "brain" of the U.S. air defense system.⁠
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Why her work on SAGE changed the world of defense electronics:⁠
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- The Digital Shield: The AN/FSQ-7 had to process massive amounts of real-time radar data to identify and track potential enemy aircraft. Hamilton’s team ensured the software was as rugged as the hardware.⁠
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- Defining "Software Engineering": It was during these years—managing 50,000+ vacuum tubes and 250 tons of electronics—that the discipline of software engineering was truly forged.⁠
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- Reliability Under Pressure: The error-detection logic she developed for the SAGE "XD-1" prototype became the foundation for the fault-tolerant systems that later saved the Apollo 11 mission.⁠
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Follow our page to learn more about Women in Stem during omen's History Month (and beyond!).⁠
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📡 National Electronics Museum ️⁠
⚡️ Inspiring the next generation STEAM workforce by exploring innovations that changed the world, with exhibits on radar, underwater electronics, satellites, and more!⚡⁠
📍 Coming Soon to Middle River, MD.⁠
☎️ (443) 345-1390⁠
❤️ 501(C)3 non profit

🚀 Big Things are Happening at NEM! Here’s What You Need to Know⁠
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Exciting changes are underway as we prepare for our new chapter! While we get ready for our future home, here are a few important updates:⁠
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🏛️ Visit Us While You Can: Tours and field trips are available by appointment at our current location through January 30, 2026. Workshops in Hunt Valley run until February 20th. Since we require two weeks to make sure we acquire enough materials for the workshop, the last day to book a workshop in Hunt Valley is February 6th. Book your group now!
https://www.nationalelectronicsmuseum.org/visitor-info/hours-admission/
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🚌 We Come to You: Can't make it to us? Our team is bringing on-site workshops and programs directly to schools, libraries, and community centers during our transition.⁠
https://www.nationalelectronicsmuseum.org/visitor-info/tours-workshops/
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🚧 Exclusive Hard Hat Tours: Donors and sponsors can get a sneak peek at our future galleries!

🎉 Grand Opening: Stay tuned! We plan to announce our official opening date at the end of February 2026.⁠
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Your support helps us cross the finish line! Thank you for being part of our journey.⁠

To donate, follow this link for directions: https://www.nationalelectronicsmuseum.org/get-involved/donations/

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Book tours, field trips and workshops through our linkin.bio⁠
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📡 National Electronics Museum ️⁠
⚡️ Inspiring the next generation STEAM workforce by exploring innovations that changed the world, with exhibits on radar, underwater electronics, satellites, and more!⚡⁠
⚡ Available for Field Trips, Tours and Workshops⁠
📍 338 Clubhouse Rd, Hunt Valley, MD 21031⁠
📅 Tours by appointment only ⁠
☎️ (443) 345-1390⁠
❤️ 501(C)3 non profit