Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory in New Jersey, shown in this historic photograph, became a model for modern research and development laboratories. Assisted by a collection of draftsmen, machinists, carpenters, and chemists, who worked tirelessly day and night, Edison and his team patented hundreds of inventions, including the incandescent light bult and the phonograph. This resource is part of the Thomas Edison Collection.

Read about innovation and the impact of technology on society in this Student Reading.