Hello there. Most of my posts are about historical museums, rich people’s lavish castles, and their ridiculously impractical wigs that, for some reason, were all the rage back in the day. But history isn’t just gold, carriages, and powdered aristocrats. Today, I’m talking about a different kind of greatness – technological greatness. Or, more specifically – how to polish my… wait, can I even say that here? Fine, I’ll restrain myself. But I probably won’t restrain myself from a little free advertising – want to feel fresh and enjoy a breeze between your legs? Get yourself a Manscape. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if, in 50 years, there’s a museum for it. Or more likely, museums will go fully virtual, and we’ll be "exploring" them through VR while lying on the couch, simulating activity. We’re already halfway there.
While Manscape focuses on grooming our faces, hair, and… other vital areas, Philips took on something far more ambitious long before that – electronics. Electronics that not only exposed me to the tragic deaths of cartoon princesses (yes, I also watched Bambi on VHS as a kid, and no, I’m still not over it) but also lit up the most sacred place in the house – the bathroom. Philips’ journey began in 1891, when Gerard Philips, a young engineer with more ideas than money, decided to start producing incandescent light bulbs. And, like every great story, this one also had an investor – his father, Frederik Philips. Clearly a man with both business sense and enough cash to believe in his son’s ambitions. A lesson for all of us: never underestimate your kid’s wild ideas—who knows, they might just work.
At first, the Eindhoven factory only made light bulbs, because, let’s be honest, no one back then needed smart fridges or vacuum cleaners that require more charging than my phone. Light bulbs, however, were a game changer – unlike candles and gas lamps, they didn’t require you to keep a fire extinguisher nearby. But one light bulb isn’t enough to conquer the world – unless you’re a Marvel supervillain. This is where Gerard’s brother, Anton Philips, enters the scene. A true entrepreneur with enough drive to expand the company and turn it into one of Europe’s biggest tech giants.
And if you think real-time news updates are a modern invention, then you clearly missed 1927, when Philips started producing radios. Anton realized that relying on grandmothers gossiping on park benches wasn’t the most profitable business model—especially when, well… their time eventually runs out. So, Philips made sure everyone could enjoy their gossip from the comfort of their homes. But listening alone wasn’t enough. After WWII, Philips decided humanity needed yet another reason not to talk to each other, so in the 1950s, they started producing televisions. This marked the end of the golden era of family dinners – from that moment on, we were all glued to screens, and conversations boiled down to “Shush! The new episode is on!”.
The 1980s brought another stroke of genius – the compact disc (CD). Philips, together with Sony, created the CD, forever changing the music industry. Yes, those shiny little discs we first used for music and later for illegally downloading MP3s labeled “The Best Hits 2002”. Or at least, I did. But they didn’t stop there – DVDs, Blu-ray, medical tech, TVs, electric razors (something all women should be grateful for, because no one enjoys getting stabbed in the face while trying to be romantic or going... down the hill), the list goes on. And if there’s one thing Philips excels at, it’s creating gadgets I never thought I needed until I started using them.
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Today, Philips is far from just selling light bulbs. The company is a global leader in medical technology – from X-ray machines to advanced imaging devices. In other words, if I ever get a scan, chances are, the Philips logo will be staring back at me. At the Philips Museum, you can see their first factory, old radios, the TVs my grandparents used to watch, and even their first AI robot. I’d love to tell you more about it, but unfortunately, there was no tour guide in that part of the museum. You’ll just have to visit and hope for better luck. And because every museum should be fun, they even have a scanner where you can see your own organs in real time...perfect for those of us who slept through biology class in school.
Information:
📍 Location: Emmasingel 31, 5611 AZ Eindhoven
🕒 Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 11:00 – 17:00
🎟️ Ticket Prices:
Adults €14
Kids 4 - 12 years - €6
Museumcard free
🌐 Website:
Philips Museum
suffer from the past, to long for the future, but to forget the present.
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