I have written a number of times here that Mexico City has more museums than any other city in the world except London. There are at least 150 museums here, and the number keeps growing. Of course, some of them are not of great interest to me or are inconsequential in their size. I had heard advertisements... on the radio... about the new radio museum, which opened in one of the subway stations. So, last week I made a trip via Metro to the "Parque de los Venados" station. The museum is sitting there in the middle of the station, and admission is free other than the six pesos it costs to ride the Metro.
It is a very small museum. There is a showcase with antique equipment from the early years of radio such as this AM radio receiver built by Westinghouse in 1921.
Another showcase is filled with radios of more recent vintage. Among the novelty items were this transistor radio in the shape of a ladybug...
and this children's Mickey Mouse radio.
Along the wall were signs that gave the history of radio in Mexico. The first commercial radio transmission in Mexico City was in 1923 from a station which a few years later went by the call letters of XEB. (All AM stations in Mexico begin with the letters XE.) The station was originally owned by El Buen Tono cigarette company.
XEB is still broadcasting in Mexico City, and it goes by the nickname of "La B Grande", (The Big B).
The tiny museum is worth a look if you are passing through that subway station, but it is certainly not worth going out of your way to see. That's OK... I can add it to the list of museums that I have seen in Mexico City.
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