SFO Presents History of Audio: The Engineering of Sound New Exhibition Explores Audio Discoveries and Inventions

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SFO Presents History of Audio: The Engineering of Sound
New Exhibition Explores Audio Discoveries and Inventions

SAN FRANCISCO -- History of Audio: The Engineering of Sound, a new exhibition at San Francisco International Airport, presents the rich history of audio discoveries and inventions that enhanced the lives of past generations and continues to evolve today.

The exhibition spans one hundred and thirty years of audio inventions, from Thomas Edison’s first sound recorder (1877), to today’s systems capable of producing theater-quality sound in private homes. More than 300 objects and images are presented to illustrate the importance of sound in our lives. Inventions such as the Victrola, the hi-fi stereo system, the eight-track player, the Walkman, and the iPod, coupled with vintage records, tapes, and compact discs, demonstrate the impact that advances in audio technology have had on various generations. Developments in cinema sound technology are traced, with examples from a “talking picture” Vitaphone to a modern Dolby Model DSP100 Show Player on display. History of Audio also features biographies of twenty pioneers responsible for advancements in the audio field.

History of Audio is presented with technical and research assistance from Dolby Laboratories. Located post-security in Terminal 3, Boarding Area F, History of Audio is on view to passengers ticketed for travel through Terminal 3 until May 23, 2007. There is no charge to view the exhibition.

San Francisco Airport Museums

The San Francisco Airport Museums program was established by the Airport Commission in 1980 for the purposes of humanizing the Airport environment, providing visibility for the unique cultural life of San Francisco, and providing educational services for the traveling public. The Museum was granted initial accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 1999, reaccredited in 2005, and has the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport. Today, the San Francisco Airport Museums features approximately twenty galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a permanent collection dedicated to the history of commercial aviation.

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About San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport SFO (www.flysfo.com) offers non-stop links with more than 29 international points on 25 international carriers. The Bay Area’s Airport of Choice connects non-stop with more than 60 cities in the United States on 20 domestic airlines, including more than twice as many non-stop flights to the New York area than other Bay Area airports combined.