Bakken, the founder of Medtronic and the inventor of the first wearable pacemaker, had also spent many years fixing old radios and TVs, and shared Pavek's passion for vintage hardware.

The two joined Paul Hedberg of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association in creating a nonprofit organization that would be the new museum's parent.

In 1990 the collection was greatly expanded with the addition of the collection of John T. "Jack" Mullin, an Army Signal Corps veteran of World War II who had brought some AEG Magnetophon tape recorders back from Germany.

Mullin used them to record Bing Crosby's radio programs, the first use of magnetic tape in American broadcasting.

Over the years, he acquired other recording devices and eventually amassed a world-renowned collection.