Personal Computer Museum facts for kids
Some personal computers on an interactive display
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| Established | 2005 |
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| Dissolved | 2018 |
| Location | Brantford, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Personal Computer museum |
The Personal Computer Museum was a special place in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. It was a museum all about old computers! Imagine seeing the very first computers your parents or even grandparents might have used.
This museum had more than 50 computers you could actually touch and play with. They came from many different companies like Apple, Atari, Commodore, and IBM. The museum also had a huge collection of old computer games, software, and magazines.
The main goal of the museum was to save old computer technology. Even more important, it wanted people to be able to use these old machines. It was a great place for schools and groups to visit. Students could learn how computers first started and how they changed over time. Parents could show their kids the computers they used when they were young. The best part? It was free to visit!
The museum first opened its doors in September 2005. It was run by its founder, Syd Bolton, and many helpful volunteers. Sadly, the museum closed for good in 2018 after Syd Bolton passed away. Its amazing collection of computers and history was then moved to the University of Toronto Mississauga library in 2020.
Contents
What You Could See and Do
The Personal Computer Museum was packed with cool things to explore. It had different areas that showed off the history of computers and games.
Interactive Computers
- Downstairs, there were over 45 computers you could use. Some of the most popular ones included the Commodore 64, the IMSAI 8080, and the Apple IIe.
- You could also find old video games and game consoles. One very rare game was an Atari 2600 cartridge called "Extra Terrestrials." It was made by a small Canadian company.
- There was even a really old 1953 black and white TV connected to a game of Pong!
Cool Displays
- The 'Tower of Power' was a huge display, about 16 feet (5 meters) tall. It showed off the original boxes for classic machines like the Coleco Adam and the Atari 2600.
- Upstairs, there was a library with over 4,000 old computer magazines. You could find famous ones like Byte Magazine and Compute!.
- Another display upstairs was called 'Modem Alley.' It showed the history of the modem, which is a device that lets computers connect to the internet.
- Both levels of the museum had hundreds of books about computer history.
- There was also a special area dedicated to Jim Butterfield, a famous Canadian writer and computer expert.
Helping the Environment
The Personal Computer Museum also helped the environment by recycling old computers. People could bring their old electronics to the museum almost every Monday evening. The museum made sure these items were recycled safely. If a computer still worked, it would be given to families who needed one through a special program. The museum even had a big 'Spring Cleanup' event each year to collect even more electronics for recycling.
Special Events and Awards
The museum was involved in many exciting events and even won some awards!
- In 2009, Microsoft hired the museum to help create a display called 'Evolution: 30 Years of Gaming' in Toronto.
- In 2008, the museum tried to set a new Guinness World Records for the most players in a Tetris Tournament.
- The museum won a 'Shining Stars Tourism Award' in 2009 for having the best marketing campaign.
- In 2010, the museum made history when a VIC-20 computer, one of the oldest known, sent a tweet on Twitter! This was possible thanks to code written by Syd Bolton.
- In 2011, the museum won another 'Shining Stars Tourism Award' for an event called "Guitar Hero Rocks the Square." Syd Bolton also won the "Tourism Innovator" award.
- In 2014, some people who worked on early computer shows and magazines gave a talk at the museum. They shared stories about the early days of personal computers.
See also
