The American Optical Museum-
AO
Collection and the status of the Optical Heritage Museum in 2004
The American Optical Museum-
AO
Collection and the status of the Optical Heritage Museum in 2004
While presently closed to the public, the Museum has been in existance
since 1983. Plans to relocate the AO Museum are still not finalized. Click
here for a January 2002 view of what once was the AO Musuem, and is now
a part of the Southbridge Hotel and Conference center.
What follows is a pictorial view of the Musuem as it appeared until
January 2000. All of the contents of the museum remain in storage.
The AO Musuem contains one of the best historial collections of Ophthalmic
Spectacle related memorabilia in the World. Click here for the text
of the AO Museum Brochure published at the time of the Museum opening.
John Young pictured above (Founder of AO Museum) re-visits the facility in August of 1999. He now lives in Florida and is President of COLTS laboratories.
View Closeup of Diamond Studded Frame
Return to AO History Main Page
Image of First AO Lensometer - 1921 (3rd Unit off Production)
Interested in the History Antique Spectacles?
Check out this fascinating premier resource on the subject:
www.antiquespectacles.com
Dick Whitney June 14, 2007
In the Summer of 2000, Newspaper articles announced plans for the relocation of this facility to Main Street in Southbridge. These plans have been abandoned, but I keep the article here as part of the AO Musuem history. Click here for the Southbridge News report, as well as photos of June 16 Ceremony in front of the old Vets Cab Building (to the left of the Hartwell building where AO Began in 1833).
