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Spend the afternoon at the Computer History Museum’s new state of the art large-scale exhibition. Learn about 2000 years of computing, from ancient times to today’s Internet. You will enjoy 1,000+ unique artifacts, hundreds of videos, docent-led tours and vintage technology demonstrations. The museum also has a new café, gift store and plenty of parking.
About the Museum
The Computer History Museum is the worlds leading institution exploring the history of computing and its ongoing impact on society. It is home to the largest international collection of computing artifacts in the world, including computer hardware, software, documentation, ephemera, photographs, and moving images. The Museum brings computer history to life through an acclaimed speaker series, dynamic website, on-site tours, and physical exhibitions.
Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing.
Everyone uses computers. Few know the story of how they came to be. Revolution chronicles the evolution and impact of modern computing from the abacus to the smart phone. This 25,000 sq. ft multimedia experience is a technological wonderland that immerses visitors in the sights, sounds, and stories of the computer revolution.
Babbage Difference Engine No. 2
The Story of the First Computer Pioneer
Charles Babbage (1791-1871) designed the first modern programmable computer – complete with a printer - but he failed to build it. Engineers at the London Science Museum finally built the first working Babbage Engine in 2002. The Babbage Difference Engine No. 2 on display at the Museum has 8,000 parts, weighs five tons and measures 11 feet in length. Learn more about this extraordinary object and the people who built it.
Mastering the Game: A History of Computer Chess
The history of computer chess is a five-decade long quest, beginning in the earliest days of computing and reflecting the ongoing advances in hardware and software. Chess presented the perfect computing challenge: a simple set of rules enabling games of stupefying complexity. Learn more about the journey to build a computer that challenged the world’s best chess players.
Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) PDP-1 was the first commercial computers designed to interact with a single user. The Museum’s restoration team brought the PDP-1 back to working condition. They retrieved data from its main memory, restored all the peripherals and loaded the machine with vintage games, including SpaceWar! Please see the admissions desk to find out more about PDP-1 demonstrations.