4/10/2025
"Through Morse to the World" exhibition at PTT Museum open until April 30
Today, the exhibition "170 Years of Telegraph Traffic in Serbia - Through Morse to the World" opened at the PTT Museum in Belgrade, authored by Nina Atlagić, curator, with which the Post of Serbia and the PTT Museum mark another great anniversary in postal, telegraph and telephone traffic.
The author of the exhibition, Nina Atlagić, presented the beginnings, milestones, and most important discoveries and dates in the development of telegraph traffic, which enabled the transmission of messages over long distances, how telegraph traffic took place in Serbia 170 years ago, and the role that Serbia had in postal and telegraph traffic in the world at that time.
"On April 3, 1855, the first telegram was sent from Kragujevac to Belgrade at 12:45, arriving at its destination at 12:50. This happened only 11 years after the introduction of the first telegraph line in the world, on the Washington-Baltimore route. It was a big step for Serbia, which at that time was between two great powers, the Ottoman Empire and the Austrian Empire, but Serbia found a way to meet the needs for faster communication in internal traffic by introducing telegraph lines, as well as the interests of the great powers that, due to Serbia's geopolitical position, were looking for the shortest connection to the East," said Atlagić. She highlighted the exceptional contribution and reputation throughout the world enjoyed by the veterans of our telegraphy, Mladen Radojković, Zdravko Rajković and Dimitrije Đorđević.
The guests were welcomed and the exhibition was officially opened by the Head of the PTT Museum, Marko Jelić. He thanked the author for organizing such an impressive exhibition and emphasized that the research and preparation included laws, newspapers, professional journals, catalogues and other sources from the collections of the PTT Museum.
"Another anniversary is also an obligation for all of us to work even harder and with more dedication on the promotion and accessibility of our content to all interested parties through various activities of the Museum," said Jelić, and invited visitors not to miss the opportunity to see the exhibition until April 30. A tour was then organized for the guests with the author’s professional guidance.
The exhibition features Morse's apparatus, a glass insulator from the first telegraph line in 1855, the Telegraph Act from the same year, parts for telegraph apparatus, relays, installation decrees, and photographs of Hughes’ and Bode's telegraph apparatus, which are available as part of the permanent exhibition of the PTT Museum.
The working hours of the PTT Museum in Belgrade, Majke Jevrosime 13, are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays – from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Thursdays and Saturdays – from 12 pm to 8 pm. Admission is free of charge.