Backgrounder
Our Mission
The mission of the Computer History Museum is to preserve and present for posterity the artifacts and stories of the information age. As such, the Museum plays a unique role in the history of the computing revolution.
Our Vision
The Museum's vision is to explore the computing revolution and its impact on the human experience.
Background
Established in California in 1996, the Computer History Museum became a public benefit 501(c)(3) organization in July of 1999 dedicated to the preservation and celebration of computing history. It is home to one of the largest international collections of computing artifacts in the world, a collection comprising over 13,000 objects and ephemera, 25,000 still and moving images, 4,000 linear feet of cataloged documentation (or 12 million pages) and 5,000 titles (or several terabytes) of software.
Our History
In 1979, Gordon and Gwen Bell had an extensive collection of modules and computing devices, but they were running out of storage space in their home. They had just moved to Boston so Gordon could run engineering for Digital Equipment Corporation. Coincidentally, that same year DEC bought a former RCA building that had a large, spacious lobby and an open balcony. The Bells decided it was a great place to display their artifacts, and in September 1979, the Digital Computer Museum opened.
As the Museum grew, its services expanded. The growth of the archives and library was spurred both by the ongoing collection of artifacts and the development of other programs. Archival documentation, reference materials and audio-visual transcriptions of lectures extended the Museum's focus to an international scope. Exhibits at the Museum were augmented with lectures by and about computer pioneers, and included historic and archival collections of machines displayed to show their "intrinsic beauty and functionality." In the spring of 1982, the Museum received non-profit charitable foundation status from the Internal Revenue Service.
In the fall of 1983, the Computer Museum, which had dropped "Digital" from its title, decided to relocate to Museum Wharf in the heart of downtown Boston, sharing space with the Children's Museum. The Computer Museum occupied the top two floors of a renovated wool warehouse with a view of the city. It offered greater visibility for the Museum's educational and preservation goals; 60,000 square-feet of space would be available for exhibition and administration
On November 13, 1984, the Museum officially opened to the public. The initial exhibits included the Whirlwind vacuum tube computer; the SAGE computer room; Gordon Bell's 20-year timeline of major inventions, software developments and benchmark applications; and the story of Cray computers. Eventually, the Museum started to focus more on activities for children. Some of the exhibits were: a two-story walk through computer, a virtual fish tank and a robot theatre for kids featuring a display of the single largest collection of robots at that time, many of which were one of a kind. As the interactive exhibits continued to develop, the artifact collecting continued in the background.
In 1988, the Museum signed a collaborative agreement with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. The joint arrangement was with the Division of Computers, Information and Society, whose scope encompassed historical research, preservation and exhibition. The Computer Museum developed a common catalog and a database of both collections, with the goal of preserving all-important artifacts.
Having established a landmark framework for the preservation of the history of computing, the Museum entered a new phase in 1996 with the establishment of The Computer Museum History Center in California. The Boston site continued to emphasize exhibitions while the Silicon Valley organization developed and maintained the archival collections
A few years later, The Computer History Museum in Boston relinquished its exhibition space on Museum Wharf, consolidating its displays under the roof of Boston's premiere Museum of Science. The remaining half of its collections traveled to Moffett Field in February 2000, adding significantly to the archives of the Computer Museum History Center. In 1999, The Computer Museum History Center became an independent entity and began moving forward with its mission to "preserve and present for posterity the artifacts and stories of the information age." In 2001, the Museum shortened its name to the Computer History Museum, and featured a "Visible Storage" exhibit area, a warehouse space that houses over 600 artifacts and other pieces of the Museum's extensive collection. Today, the Museum's collection of artifacts has more than doubled since it was moved to California in 1996.
Tours and Hours of Operation
The Museum's "Visible Storage" exhibit area is open for docent-led tours every week. Self-guided tours are also available in "Visible Storage" and the Museum's other two exhibits, "Innovation in the Valley" and "Mastering the Game: A History of Computer Chess." Tours are free and hours of operation are located on the Museum's website. Groups of 10 or more should call in advance to 650-810-1038 or e-mail tours@computerhistory.org.
Education
The Computer History Museum offers lectures, seminars and workshops with scholarly historical perspectives about and by the pioneers of the computing industry. The Museum's emphasis on preservation and education make it a unique resource for media researchers, historians, scientists, industry professionals and students of all ages. Research services are available to scholars by staff researchers as well as through the Museum's comprehensive website.
Lectures and Events
The Museum is proud to host monthly lectures with leading innovators; industry giants and opinion leaders; experts; engineers and scientists who share their personal stories and insights about developments, events and discoveries that have shaped our world. The Museum also frequently hosts other significant events that highlight and honor the history of computing and celebrate major industry milestones as they occur.
Fellow Awards
Each year over the past twenty years, the Museum has honored computing pioneers at an annual Fellow Awards Celebration. Museum Fellows are individuals who have made revolutionary and lasting contributions to the development of computing and often present a lecture or conduct a workshop and oral histories in connection with the awards program.
Publications
Articles about industry leaders and computing breakthroughs appear in the Museum's annual spring publication, Core, and the Museum's staff also publishes articles with both technical and historical content in complementary journals and magazines
Future Plans
The Computer History Museum's efforts are well underway to create a worthy home in Silicon Valley. In October 2002, the Museum acquired a landmark building at 1401 N Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View, CA, and opened its first phase to the public in June 2003. Currently, three exhibits are open to visitors. Future plans include full museum exhibits and theme rooms including the debut in the spring of 2008 of the Babbage Difference Engine #2, an extraordinary Victorian era computing object that no Victorian ever saw! It was finally built 153 years after it was designed by Charles Babbage (1791-1871) and will be on display at the Museum in 2008, and is rich in history. And then there is the Museum's 14,000 square-foot major and signature exhibit, the "Timeline of Computing History" which is due to open in the fall of 2009.
Information
Tel: (650) 810-1010
Fax: (650) 810-1055
info@computerhistory.org
Computer History Museum
1401 N Shoreline Blvd
Mountain View, CA 94043