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Computer History Museum

The Computer History Museum (CHM) is a nonprofit institution in , dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and impact of computing on society. It houses the world's largest collection of computing artifacts and related materials, exceeding one million items including hardware, software, documents, photographs, videos, and over 1,300 oral histories from pioneers in the field. Founded in 1979 as the Digital Computer Museum at Digital Equipment Corporation's facility in , it evolved through relocations and name changes, becoming an independent entity in 1999 and adopting its current name in 2000 before settling in in 2002. CHM's mission is to "decode technology—its computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity" by making these stories accessible through exhibits, events, and educational programs for audiences of all ages. Its flagship permanent exhibition, Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing, spans 19 galleries and showcases over 1,100 historic objects, tracing innovations from ancient abacuses and mechanical calculators to semiconductors, personal computers, and . Notable artifacts include a working replica of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2, components from the (the first general-purpose electronic computer), the original server rack, and early consoles like Atari's machine. The museum also maintains specialized collections on topics such as the , , and software history, with ongoing efforts culminating in the beta launch of the OpenCHM digital portal in August 2025 and full launch planned later in the year for public access. Since reopening in 2011 after a major renovation, CHM has hosted influential programs like the annual Fellow Awards, honoring computing luminaries such as Grace Hopper (1987, first recipient) and, in 2024, Jensen Huang and Nolan Bushnell. It draws over 90,000 visitors annually to its 120,000-square-foot facility, supplemented by online resources and events featuring figures like Bill Gates, while emphasizing computing's global and ethical dimensions in recent exhibits like Chatbots Decoded: Exploring AI (opened November 2024). As a 501(c)(3) organization led by President and CEO Marc Etkind since April 2025, CHM continues to expand its role as a vital archive and storyteller of the information age.

History

Founding and Early Development

The Digital Computer Museum was established in 1979 by (DEC) CEO , along with Gordon Bell and his wife Gwen Bell, at DEC's facility in . The museum originated from efforts to preserve and display historical computing artifacts, starting in a converted storage space within the DEC building. It officially opened to the public on September 23, 1979, with an inaugural lecture by British computer pioneer on the . From its inception, the museum's mission centered on documenting the evolution of computing through tangible artifacts, emphasizing education and public access to technology's impact. Early exhibits highlighted pioneering machines such as the minicomputer and components from the , the first commercial computer, showcasing the shift from massive mainframes to more accessible systems. DEC provided substantial support, including facilities, funding, and expertise, enabling the museum to grow its collection rapidly while remaining closely tied to the company's innovation culture. In 1984, the institution relocated to a dedicated space on Boston's Museum Wharf and was renamed The Computer Museum, marking its transition to an independent nonprofit entity open to broader audiences. The new venue featured interactive displays and expanded holdings, with the cataloged collection reaching approximately 900 artifacts and films by mid-1984, including acquisitions like early calculators and electromechanical devices. Gwen Bell served as the founding director, guiding the museum's focus on both historical preservation and contemporary computing trends during this formative period. By the early 1990s, rapid growth in collections outpaced the available space at the location, prompting initial planning for expansion or to accommodate the increasing volume of donations and artifacts. This challenge underscored the museum's success in attracting global contributions while highlighting the need for larger facilities to sustain its educational .

Relocation and Expansion

In 1992, The Computer Museum in initiated the relocation of its historical collection to , seeking greater proximity to the technology industry and leveraging support from , a key local pioneer in computing. This move addressed the museum's need for expanded space and stronger ties to the region's innovation ecosystem, where many computing advancements originated. The relocation process spanned several years, involving the careful transport of artifacts and the establishment of a new facility at the former Moffett Field . The new site officially opened in 1996 as The Computer Museum History Center. In 1999, the organization incorporated as an independent nonprofit. Significant funding from donors enabled the setup and launch of early exhibits that highlighted regional innovation, such as "The Silicon Valley Story," which explored the area's role in shaping modern technology. These initial displays drew visitors by connecting historical artifacts to the ongoing evolution of computing in the heart of . The name was changed to the Computer History Museum (CHM) in 2000 to reflect its broadened focus on computing heritage. Further growth came in 2001 with an expansion that introduced a visible storage laboratory, allowing public access to approximately 200 artifacts in a climate-controlled environment designed to showcase the museum's growing collection without traditional exhibit constraints. This addition emphasized transparency in preservation practices and increased engagement with the museum's holdings.

Recent Developments

In response to the , the Computer History Museum closed to the public in March 2020, joining widespread shutdowns of cultural institutions worldwide. During the two-year closure, the museum shifted to virtual programming, leveraging its newly launched website to expand creation, including online exhibits, educational resources, and virtual events to maintain public engagement. The program continued remotely, preserving firsthand accounts from computing pioneers through video interviews amid the disruptions. The museum reopened on February 19, 2022, implementing enhanced safety protocols such as capacity limits, mandatory masking, and contactless ticketing to ensure visitor health. To support ongoing digital access, the institution enhanced tools like its interactive Timeline of Computer History, an online chronology of computing milestones that allows users to explore artifacts, events, and innovations from onward. Recent acquisitions have bolstered the museum's focus on emerging technologies. In fiscal year 2025, the collection grew with 97 donations, including the Intel ETANN chip—a pioneering 1989 electrostatically tunable analog neural network hardware representing early AI advancements. In 2024, the museum highlighted video game consoles through its "Retro Games: From Atari to Xbox" exhibit, drawing on historic systems like the Atari 2600 and Intellivision to illustrate gaming's evolution. The November 2024 opening of the "Chatbots Decoded: Exploring AI" exhibit further expanded holdings with over 30 artifacts, such as early conversational AI machines and talking toys, to contextualize modern large language models. The fiscal year 2025 report underscores growth in public involvement, with 94,170 exhibit visitors and the recording of 31 video interviews on as part of new research initiatives decoding AI's societal impact. Supporting membership stood at 1,828, contributing to sustained operations amid rising attendance. Sustainability efforts advanced through the 2024 Strategy to 2030, emphasizing energy-efficient practices and long-term environmental planning for artifact preservation, building on prior grants for facility improvements.

Facilities and Collections

Physical Spaces and Layout

The Computer History Museum is housed in a 120,000-square-foot facility at 1401 N. Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View, California. The collection was relocated from the Boston area in 1996, with the current facility undergoing renovations starting in 2002 and opening to the public in phases concluding in 2011, enabling the accommodation of extensive collections and enhanced visitor experiences following the museum's relocation from Boston. The layout emphasizes efficient visitor flow, beginning in the lobby equipped with an orientation video that introduces the museum's narrative on computing evolution. Core areas include the Grand Hall (11,777 sq ft, capacity up to 400), the Hahn Auditorium (capacity 350–400 for lectures and presentations), and the Leslie Gallery (2,252 sq ft, capacity 70–150). These spaces are interconnected to support seamless transitions between static viewing areas and interactive or programmatic zones, with ground-floor placement for major galleries and amenities to optimize navigation. Accessibility features ensure inclusivity, including wheelchair ramps throughout the building, available audio guides for narrated tours, and multilingual support introduced in 2023 to assist diverse visitors. Modern technology is woven into the design via interactive kiosks distributed across the galleries, allowing hands-on exploration of historical contexts without disrupting the architectural flow. As of 2025, the museum maintains operating hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, remaining closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, with general adult admission at $21.50.

Hardware Artifacts

The Hardware Artifacts collection at the Computer History Museum encompasses nearly 90,000 physical items, documenting the evolution of computing hardware from the 1940s to the present day. This vast repository includes original machines, components, and functional replicas that represent pivotal advancements in technology. Key examples span early electromechanical devices, such as components from the 1947 Harvard Mark II computer, which featured in the famous "first computer bug" incident involving a moth trapped in its relays, to landmark personal computers like the 1976 Altair 8800, the first commercially successful microcomputer kit that sparked the home computing revolution. Notable categories within the collection highlight diverse eras and innovations. Mainframes are exemplified by components from the , the pioneering 1945 electronic general-purpose computer that weighed over 30 tons and performed 5,000 additions per second, with surviving chips and modules preserved to illustrate vacuum-tube computing. Personal computers form another core segment, including the , Steve Wozniak's 1976 single-board design sold without a case or peripherals, marking the birth of the Apple company. Networking gear is represented by the 1969 Interface Message Processor (IMP), a ruggedized built by Bolt, Beranek and Newman that enabled the first packet-switched network connections between research institutions. Preservation efforts ensure the longevity of these artifacts through specialized techniques. Items are stored in modern, climate-controlled facilities in , maintaining optimal temperature and humidity to prevent degradation of delicate materials like vacuum tubes and magnetic tapes. Acquired in 2007, this offsite storage supports the museum's capacity to house expanding collections while allowing for careful and . Parts of the collection are accessible through guided tours and the online catalog, showcasing working prototypes and rare items alongside everyday devices, emphasizing the tangible scale of technological history. Software that originally operated on many of these machines is archived separately to complement study.

Software and Digital Archives

The Computer History Museum houses an extensive software collection comprising over 50,000 titles, encompassing pivotal examples such as the source for UNIX from the 1970s, which was publicly released by the museum in to mark the operating system's 50th anniversary. This collection also includes software related to early , notably from 1972, highlighting the evolution of interactive entertainment programming. These holdings preserve not only the but also the contextual that illustrates software's role in . Central to the museum's archival efforts is its program, launched in 1995, which has amassed over 1,200 interviews with computing pioneers, including Rear Admiral , whose 1980 recollections detail her foundational work in programming and compilers. In 2020, the program digitized its collection for broader online accessibility, enabling researchers and the public to explore firsthand accounts of computing history through audio and video formats. The museum's digital archives feature approximately 3 million documents and photographs, capturing the breadth of computing's societal impact. Key preservation initiatives include a 2019 partnership with the Software Preservation Network to advance strategies for long-term software access, alongside the development of tools that allow vintage operating systems to run on contemporary hardware, thereby maintaining functionality without original equipment. Ongoing digitization efforts include the 2025 launch of the OpenCHM digital portal, offering public access to over 267,000 records from the collections. In 2025, the museum preserved the behind Geoffrey Hinton's work.

Exhibitions

Permanent Displays

The permanent displays at the Computer History Museum provide a comprehensive, ongoing narrative of computing's evolution through fixed installations that emphasize thematic and chronological milestones. These exhibits draw from the museum's vast collection to illustrate technological advancements, human ingenuity, and societal impacts, allowing visitors to engage with artifacts and stories that span millennia. The centerpiece is ": The First 2000 Years of Computing," a permanent launched on January 13, 2011, occupying 25,000 square feet across 19 galleries. It traces from ancient tools like the to contemporary innovations in and mobile devices, featuring over 1,000 artifacts that highlight pivotal developments in hardware, software, and applications. Notable examples include Charles Babbage's No. 2, a 19th-century demonstrating early automated computation principles. The galleries are organized thematically and chronologically, covering eras from mechanical calculators and vacuum tubes to personal computers and the , with immersive storytelling that connects individual inventions to broader revolutions in science, business, and culture. A dedicated section within Revolution explores the history of video games, showcasing over 50 years of interactive entertainment through artifacts such as pioneering Atari consoles and hands-on demonstrations of classic titles. This gallery underscores gaming's role in advancing computing accessibility, graphics, and user interfaces, from early arcade systems to modern digital ecosystems. Complementing this, "The Silicon Engine: A Timeline of Semiconductors in Computers" serves as a focused narrative on Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial legacy, presenting an interactive timeline of semiconductor innovations from the 1940s onward. It highlights key companies like Intel, whose microprocessors transformed personal computing, and traces the ecosystem of startups and firms that fueled the region's status as a global innovation hub. Interactive elements enhance visitor engagement across these displays. These features, integrated since the exhibition's debut and expanded with tours by 2017, enable deeper exploration without risking delicate artifacts. In fiscal year 2025, the museum's exhibits, including these permanent installations, attracted 94,170 visitors, reflecting sustained public interest in computing heritage.

Temporary and Special Exhibits

The Computer History Museum presents temporary and special exhibits that rotate to address contemporary computing themes, connecting historical milestones to modern advancements and societal implications. "Chatbots Decoded: Exploring AI," launched on November 20, 2024, and ongoing into 2025, offers an immersive 2,000-square-foot experience tracing chatbot evolution from Weizenbaum's program in 1966 to advanced generative models like series. Visitors interact with robots such as Ameca for live demonstrations, while video interviews with AI experts, critics, and users highlight ethical concerns, including AI's effects on employment, creativity, and decision-making. Aimed at high school-aged audiences and older, the exhibit emphasizes balanced perspectives on AI's potential and risks. Earlier examples include the 2012 exhibit "Going Places: A History of Surrogate Travel and with Street View," curated under the museum's History Program, which showcased web pioneers' contributions to virtual navigation and online mapping from early digital simulations to immersive street-level views. In 2022–2024, "The Studio at CHM" explored the intersection of and creativity through interactive AI-driven art, featuring installations like Solair-E, an AI artwork that generates responses to visitor questions. These exhibits often involve partnerships with technology firms. Rotations typically span 6–18 months, enhancing the museum's appeal and fostering deeper public engagement on timely topics.

Public Engagement

Educational Programs

The Computer History Museum offers extensive K-12 educational programs, including field trips that served 12,787 students in 2025, featuring hands-on workshops exploring the history of . These initiatives emphasize in the museum's Learning Lab, where students engage with historical artifacts and simulations to understand . For educators, the museum provides free online resources such as the Great Tech Story world, which includes experiences like The Ethics Forum to explore in , digital , and its societal impacts. Teachers can access lesson plans, videos, and activity guides through the museum's educator portal, supporting professional development in STEM education. Summer camps target children ages 8-14, offering immersive experiences that blend historical context with modern skills. Participants engage in guided activities to build and creativity. To promote inclusivity, the museum builds on earlier programs like Get Invested, expanding opportunities in for diverse youth. These youth-oriented activities contribute to building computing literacy and enthusiasm, as evidenced by high satisfaction rates in recent visitor surveys. In 2025, the museum launched the , providing public access to digitized collections and resources to support educational outreach.

Events and Community Outreach

The Computer History Museum (CHM) hosts the CHM Live series, featuring regular conversations and debates with thought leaders on technology's historical and contemporary impacts, including , , and societal transformation. Examples include the October 2025 event "This Time It's Different: AI Startups Across Three Generations," which examined development trends, and the September 2025 discussion "Cold War Computing: Balkan Cyberia," exploring early computing in . Past speakers have included prominent figures such as Apple innovator , Twitter co-founder , and former Facebook COO , fostering public discourse on computing's evolution. CHM engages communities through strategic partnerships that extend its reach beyond the museum walls, such as collaborations with public broadcaster KQED for the Revolutionaries interview series and with Audible and Treefort Media for podcast production starting in 2024. These initiatives connect local and global audiences to computing history, including corporate history partnerships that preserve Silicon Valley business narratives. Additionally, CHM supports broader outreach via discussion guides accompanying CHM Live events, designed for adult and community groups to explore topics like entrepreneurship and women in technology. Virtual events amplify CHM's accessibility, with CHM Live programs streamed live and archived on , accumulating thousands of views per episode—for instance, the 2025 AI startups discussion garnered over 800 views as of November 2025. The museum's Decoding Tech , launched in collaboration with Audible in February 2024, features expert interviews on technology's past, present, and future, complementing in-person talks by reaching remote listeners worldwide. To encourage hands-on community involvement, CHM organizes hackathon-style events like Hack the Future, an annual gathering where participants engage in self-directed software and hardware projects under mentorship from industry professionals. The museum also facilitates volunteer-driven restoration efforts, where teams of dedicated individuals, including retired engineers, repair historical artifacts; a notable example involved 20 volunteers dedicating 20,000 hours over 10 years to restore mainframes, enhancing public appreciation of computing heritage. Since 2021, CHM has prioritized through initiatives like the May 2022 I.D.E.A. (, , , ) forum for Bay Area museum professionals, promoting equitable access to technology narratives. Events such as the 2023 "Character Building" program address linguistic barriers in digital spaces, featuring Unicode experts discussing multilingual support and online . Visitor guidelines emphasize accommodations for diverse needs, ensuring a welcoming environment for all attendees.

Awards and Recognition

Fellow Awards Program

The Computer History Museum's Fellow Awards Program honors computing pioneers for their lifetime achievements in advancing the field through innovation and leadership. Originating from awards initiated in 1987 by The Computer Museum in , founded by Gwen Bell, the program recognized its first fellow, Admiral Grace Murray , for her pioneering work in programming languages and standardization efforts. Following the 1996 founding of the Computer History Museum and its 1999 merger with The Computer Museum, the initiative was formally adopted and has continued annually under CHM, celebrating individuals whose contributions have shaped the digital age. The selection process begins with public nominations for living individuals, submitted via a formal form detailing the nominee's qualifications in 500–1,500 words; self-nominations are not permitted, though group nominations for collaborators are allowed. A committee comprising historians, researchers, industry leaders, CHM staff, and past fellows reviews submissions, prioritizing significant and lasting impacts such as foundational research, paradigm-shifting developments, or advancements in computing's societal adoption. Criteria emphasize innovation's , with sufficient time elapsed for evaluation, while promoting diversity across disciplines like hardware, software, and networks, without bias based on age, gender, race, or nationality. Each year culminates in a gala ceremony at the Museum, featuring documentary videos, acceptance speeches, and tributes from peers, as seen in the 2024 event on November 16, which inducted five honorees: for developing at , for founding and pioneering , Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler for her leadership in early infrastructure like the Network Information Center, Steven Mayer for innovations in at , and for visionary advancements in graphics processing and AI at . By 2024, the program had inducted over 100 fellows, including notable figures like for inventing the . As part of their legacy, fellows contribute to CHM's collections through oral histories, artifacts, and documents, preserving firsthand accounts of computing's evolution for public access and education; the program is supported by corporate sponsors such as Oracle, Accenture, and NVIDIA.

Other Honors and Partnerships

The Computer History Museum has received several institutional awards recognizing its contributions to education, preservation, and innovation in computing history. In 2011, it was awarded the HP Catalyst Initiative grant, which supports global STEM education collaborations and has enabled the museum to partner with over 55 educational institutions across 15 countries to foster innovative programs in technology literacy. Additionally, the museum earned a 2013 Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to enhance its core operations and public access to collections, underscoring its role in strengthening community engagement with computing heritage. In 2016, a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant funded the development of a long-term sustainability plan for artifact preservation, focusing on energy-efficient environmental controls to protect the museum's extensive holdings. Key partnerships have expanded the museum's reach and capabilities in and outreach. Since 2011, collaborations with , including a $500,000 grant, have supported the digitization of over 84 terabytes of digital collections, growing annually by 12-15 terabytes and making historical materials more accessible online. The museum also partnered with 's Cultural Institute to create virtual exhibits, bringing interactive experiences from its physical galleries to global audiences. In 2021, a joint initiative with and the platform aimed to build a next-generation digital museum platform, integrating tools for collection management, visitor engagement, and data analytics to modernize archival practices. Further, partnerships with the IEEE have facilitated co-production of oral histories, such as those documenting early pioneers, enhancing the museum's archival depth through shared expertise in technical history. Research collaborations, including joint projects with on AI and robotics history, have produced scholarly outputs that contextualize ; for instance, artifacts like the SRI mouse prototype (1964) highlight early innovations stemming from such academic ties. Funding alliances have bolstered these efforts, with endowments like a 2019 $50,000 grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) for audio preservation under the Recordings at Risk program, and ongoing support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission for processing software collections. In 2014, a partnership with the Broadcom Foundation launched the Design Code Build program, targeting underserved youth with hands-on computing education. These honors and partnerships have driven measurable impact, contributing to the growth of the museum's collection to over 1 million items by 2025, including digitized archives and new acquisitions that support public and scholarly access.

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