PAVEK MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING
From the Re-Echo, September 2007

The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting is a must-see attraction in St. Louis Park. The museum is located at 3515-17 Raleigh Ave., close by the Rec Center and the Post Office.

The nucleus of the collection is the many antique radios donated by Joe Pavek, who had picked them up as he worked as a traveling nuts-and-bolts salesman. In 1988, the museum was formed to display these radios. Since then, many other donations have augmented Pavek’s initial collection. Today, the museum is filled with hundreds of antique radios and televisions, but also TV cameras and other artifacts from the broadcasting industry in and around Minnesota.

One of the biggest contributions the museum makes to the community is its Broadcast Workshop program. This is one of the most popular field trips for elementary schools in the area. Kids are given scripts and perform a radio show, complete with songs, commercials, and news flashes that they write themselves, coming over a real teletype machine. This all takes place in a mockup radio studio with authentic equipment.

Students come to the museum to learn about electricity and communication. A highlight is a demonstration of a spark gap transmitter like the one that was used to signal SOS on the Titanic. Later, at the quiz show set, students are tested to see how much they remember.

You may have seen the museum featured in the SLP Sun newspaper last July when it won a prestigious national award for preserving the history of electronic communications and for its educational work.

The Pavek has been a strong partner with the SLPHS, and the Society even held meetings in their board room in the early years. Assoc. Director Tom Mittelstaedt has also provided much-needed technical assistance to the Re-Echo staff.

The museum is open Tuesday-Friday from 10-6, and Saturdays from 9 to 5. It is always best to call ahead, especially if you have a group. (Most weekday mornings are occupied with the Broadcast Workshop.) A trip to the Pavek is a surprising and educational experience.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.