Museum of Computing facts for kids
The Museum of Computing in Swindon, England, is a special place that shows off old computers. It was the first museum in the United Kingdom dedicated only to the history of computing. The museum first opened its doors in February 2003.
Contents
Why This Museum is Awesome
This museum has some important goals. It wants to save the history of computers for everyone. It's a great place to learn about how computers have changed over time. The museum also shares information with historians, collectors, and news reporters. Most importantly, it tries to show the history of computing in a fun and interesting way.
What You Can See and Do
The museum has many cool things to see. You can find working machines that you might even get to try! There are also interactive activities that let you learn by doing. One past exhibition was called Pong to PlayStation. It showed how video games changed from very simple ones to the advanced games we have today.
More than thirty computers from the museum were lent to Gordon Laing. He is a journalist who used to edit Personal Computer World magazine. He used these computers to help write his 2004 book, Digital Retro.
Cool Events at the Museum
The museum has hosted many exciting events over the years:
- Calculators Through Time: In March 2006, the museum launched an exhibition called "Calculators from the Abacus to the Microchip". This show was opened by Sir Clive Sinclair, a famous inventor.
- Royal Visit: In April 2007, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, visited the museum. He is a patron of the British Computer Society.
- New Home: In July 2009, the museum moved to a new location at 6–7 Theatre Square. This spot is right between the local library and the theatre.
- Pac-Man Party: In May 2010, the museum celebrated the 30th birthday of the famous video game Pac-Man. They had a real-life Pac-Man game and a special exhibition all day long!
- Gaming on the Go: In March 2011, the museum held the 'Gaming on the Go' exhibition. This celebrated 35 years of handheld game consoles, like the ones you can take anywhere.
How the Museum Works
The Museum of Computing is a not-for-profit organization. This means it doesn't try to make money for owners. Most of the work is done by amazing volunteers who give their time to help out. In 2022, the museum had one employee and one director, Jeremy Holt.
