Thomas Edison's Laboratory Desk

Thomas Edison's personal desk as he left it. When Edison died in 1931, son Charles locked his father's roll-top desk. It was reopened in 1947 by Mina Edison, Thomas's widow, at a ceremony marking Edison's 100th birthday. Labels on the desk's pigeonholes offer some clues about Edison's interests. Pet projects, like "Cement" and "Storage Battery" have homes, while "Money" and "Financial" slots represent the practical side of business. One label, however, captures the essence of Edison's success: "New Things."