Entry No. 34 — the San Francisco file — filed under: vintage radio

California Historical Radio Society / Radio Central Museum

A volunteer-run museum stuffed with 120 years of wireless history — rows of vacuum-tube radios, vintage televisions, a workshop where members repair the sets themselves, and a still-live amateur radio station, W6CF, that anyone can watch broadcast on the air.

The move: Catch a Wednesday or Saturday open house, get a docent — often a retired broadcast engineer — to power up a 1920s set, then watch a live transmission go out on the ham station.

• 📍 Alameda
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 2152 Central Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: mercurynews.com · Wikipedia · eastbaytimes.com

last checked: 2026-07-20