Thomas Edison Center Interview

#207 Great.com Talks With... Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park

Menlo park, in Edison (New Jersey), is a historic site where Edison discovered his most important inventions. Originally a failed housing development, Edison transformed the site into a creative hub where skilled and passionate minds could come together to create. Hiring engineers, glassblowers, blacksmiths, carpenters and machinists to work towards their common goals; a vital aspect allowing Edison to excel to such degrees was his ability to recognise the importance of teamwork. In this episode, we spoke with Kathleen Carlucci from the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park about the pathway and characteristics that led a young boy from Milan, Ohio to become the most influential inventor of our time. 

Machines That Can Talk? How Edison Surpassed the Expectations of What Was Possible 

It may seem strange to focus on Edison’s significant failures rather than his triumphs, yet what stands out the most from Kathleen’s intimate account of Edison’s life are in fact the times things didn’t work out for him. She explains that, naturally, Edison experienced many failures along his journey - relating a humorous malfunction of a talking doll as the phonograph wore down; resulting in a screeching noise which would terrify children. Although it didn’t come without its faults, it was the phonograph out of all Edison's inventions which really blew people’s minds. Can you imagine the surreality of experiencing a machine talking for the first time!

The sheer breadth and scale of Edison’s ideas, as well as his successful inventions, is truly unbelievable. Even back then he was talking of electric cars - really looking into the future and thinking deeply about the ways to improve lives and the human experience within this world. None of these ideas would have been possible or come into fruition without hard work and many failures, however. Edison is famously quoted for stating ‘genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration’ as well as noting the importance of failure in the acquisition of his goals. 

So what can we learn from this ceaseless creator? That failure is a crucial part of the learning process, that many positives can emerge from failure; that persistence and hard work will lead to greater resilience and new discoveries which will broaden your horizons. 

“What inspires me is [Edison’s] not giving up. I mean, he could have made good money in other fields, just producing products. He probably could have made a lot more money, actually. But he had such a passion for making lives better...This is a man who went to school for less than three months but never stopped learning.”

Listen to the whole interview to discover how someone deemed ‘incapable of learning’ at school went on to become the most famous and tenacious inventor of all time. You can also explore Thomas Edison Center’s programs, apply to be a volunteer or become a member. Menlo Park continues to spark the imagination of its visitors; see, too, if it can light up yours.

Want to learn more about the Thomas Edison Center? You can check out their Museum News, their upcoming events calendar and intern opportunities.

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