#Exhibit of the Month

One of the great technical achievements that revolutionized the idea of time and space, opening a new era in the history of communication, is telegraphy. It is based on the transmission of electrical signals through a cable over long distances, allowing people to communicate instantly. The telegraph spread very quickly and a network of wires stretched around the world.

In 1837, the American painter and physicist Samuel Morse invented the first electromagnetic device for telegraphy, patented in 1840. To send messages by wire, Morse developed in 1838 a simple code of dots and dashes, which represented the letters of the alphabet, known as "Morse code ".

Both Morse code and the telegraph machine were improved over time, with the telegraph becoming the most widespread system of communication and information transmission for more than a century, until the advent of the Internet. The telegraph system consisted of a series of stations repeaters along the transmission line route. Each station had an operator who received and transmitted messages by telegraph. The Morse machine transmitted about 25 words per minute, which were recorded in code on a paper tape. The operator in charge of transmitting the message would decode it and write it on paper using a special typewriter.

In Bessarabia, the telegraph entered in 1860: on April 8, the Bender telegraph station began its activity, and on April 24, the one in Chisinau, following the construction of the first Odesa-Chisinau-Leova telegraph line. Currently, telegraph services have been discontinued. The only ones who still use coded communication are radio amateurs.

The Morse telegraph machine shown comes from the Osinoostrovsky electrotechnical plant, Soviet Union, and dates back to 1934. The exhibit was restored by Mihail Culașco.

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Exhibitions

"Postcards from Ukraine"

24 February – 15 March 2024

The exhibition "Postcards from Ukraine" is organized by the Public Association "Progressive community", in collaboration with the National Museum of History of Moldova and with the support of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, dedicated to the commemoration of two years since the start of Russia's aggressive war against the sovereign state Ukraine.

The exhibition includes 22 panels - postcards, each telling the history of an architectural monument located in different regions of Ukraine, before and after its destruction or damage. The works are part of the international exhibition "Symbol of Victory of Ukraine", a project that documents and presents the destruction caused by missile attacks and bombings on Ukrainian cultural heritage. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, multiple historical, architectural and archaeological monuments of Ukraine are attacked and destroyed daily. Russian military forces cynically and ruthlessly target museums, monuments, universities, cinemas, launch missiles at churches, cathedrals, television towers and other edifices. The Russian army not only devastates Ukrainian cities and villages, but also systematically destroys Ukrainian cultural heritage.

Only together we become stronger and can support Ukraine in the struggle for peace and preservation of cultural heritage. We note that we cooperate with the voluntary organization OC FC "Vilni Kryla", an organization that provides humanitarian aid in hot areas. Together with "Vilni Kryla", a fundraising campaign was organized to support Ukrainian heroes. In this regard, we appeal to each of you to join the fundraising campaign by scanning the QR code. Everyone's contribution is very valuable to those who fight for the defense of Ukraine, for peace and stability.

By visiting this exhibition you have the opportunity to delve into the history and significance of these novel and unique monuments, as well as to feel the tragedy brought by the war.

The exhibition will be displayed in the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, from February 24 to March 15, 2024.