Computer History Museum

Computer History Museum. It is a museum established in 1996 and located in Mountain View, California, dedicated to preserving and presenting the artifacts and stories of the information age. Founded by Gordon Bell and Gwen Bell, its mission is to explore the computing revolution and its ongoing impact on society. The institution holds one of the world's largest and most significant collections related to the history of computing and software.

History

The museum's origins trace back to 1975 when the founding Bells began collecting historical computer artifacts, which initially formed the core of The Computer Museum in Boston. In 1996, much of that collection was moved to Silicon Valley, with the new institution first operating as The Computer Museum History Center within a building leased from NASA at Moffett Federal Airfield. After a major capital campaign, it opened to the public at its permanent, purpose-built home in 2011. Key milestones in its development have included major exhibitions like "Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing" and the acquisition of seminal artifacts such as a working PDP-1 and an original Apple I.

Exhibits and collections

The permanent exhibition, "Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing," offers a comprehensive timeline featuring over 1,100 objects, from the abacus and Charles Babbage's Difference Engine to the rise of the internet and smartphone. Notable artifacts include a Cray-1 supercomputer, an IBM 1401 data processing system, and the Google server rack from its early days. The museum also curates specialized exhibits on topics like the history of semiconductor manufacturing, the development of computer chess, and the legacy of the Apollo Guidance Computer. Its vast archival collections encompass hardware, software, GUI designs, films, and documents from companies like Microsoft, Intel, and Adobe.

Building and location

The museum is housed in a landmark building originally constructed as the headquarters for Silicon Graphics in the 1990s, located at 1401 N. Shoreline Boulevard in the heart of Silicon Valley. The structure was extensively renovated by the architectural firm EHDD to meet museum standards, featuring expansive, climate-controlled galleries, a state-of-the-art conservation lab, and the 250-seat Levi's Auditorium. Its location in Mountain View, California places it near the global headquarters of major technology firms such as Google, LinkedIn, and Mozilla, embedding it within the region's innovative ecosystem.

Educational programs and events

The institution runs a robust schedule of public programs, including the well-known "CHM Live" speaker series, which has hosted pioneers like Steve Wozniak, Vint Cerf, and Margaret Hamilton. It offers guided tours, hands-on workshops for students, and the "Center for Software History" which conducts oral histories with key figures from companies like Atari and Xerox PARC. Major annual events include the "Fellow Awards" dinner, which honors luminaries in the field, and the "Restoration Lab" open house, where visitors can see conservators working on historic machines like the DEC PDP-8.

Significance and impact

As the world's leading institution dedicated to the history of computing, it plays a critical role in preserving the physical heritage of the digital revolution for scholars and the public. Its collections and research initiatives provide essential primary sources for understanding the technological, business, and social forces shaped by companies like IBM, Apple, and Hewlett-Packard. By documenting the stories of innovation from the ENIAC to the World Wide Web, the museum ensures that the lessons and legacy of this transformative era inform future generations of engineers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

Category:Museums in California Category:Computer museums in the United States Category:History of computing Category:Organizations based in Silicon Valley