Rhode Island Computer Museum facts for kids
A CRAY supercomputer from the RICM collection
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| Established | 1999 |
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| Location | Warwick, Rhode Island |
| Type | Computer museum |
The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) is a special place in Warwick, Rhode Island, United States. It's a museum dedicated to old computers and how they developed over time. You can find their Learning Lab and display area in the La-Z-Boy building.
The museum also has a big warehouse in North Kingstown where they store many more items. Computers and digital tools change super fast, so it's easy to forget their history. The museum works hard to save this history. Their goal is to inspire young people who are curious about technology.
The museum's main purpose is to find and keep everything related to computer science and its past. They also want to share this knowledge and encourage research. They do this through visits, talks, discussions, and publications.
Contents
How the Museum Started
The Idea Behind RICM
The idea for the museum began in 1996. A group of friends, who were all part of a British sports car club, started talking. They realized that an older computer museum in Boston wasn't doing a good job. It wasn't teaching or inspiring new generations about how computers first began.
Becoming an Official Museum
Because of this, they decided to start their own museum. The Rhode Island Computer Museum officially became a non-profit organization in 1999. Being a non-profit means they focus on their mission, not on making money.
Expanding for Learning
In 2015, the museum grew even more. They rented extra space in the Meadows Professional Office Complex. This new area allowed them to offer more hands-on experiences. They started holding classes for both the community and students.
What Can You See at the Museum?
A Huge Collection of Tech History
The museum has a massive collection of computer history. They use 5,000 square feet of warehouse space to store it all. This includes software, hardware, books, and many different electronic items. You can find computers, printers, old floppy disks, and hard drives.
People from all over the country have given items to the museum. Sometimes, the museum even fixes up old computers and gives them to people. This helps those in the community who might not be able to afford these items otherwise.
Exploring Different Types of Computers
When you visit, you can see many types of computers. They have personal microcomputers from the United States and the UK. You can also see huge mainframe computers. These include DEC VAXes, Wang 2200-VP, and different DEC PDP models.
The collection also features special machines like Sequent multi-processor computers. There's even a Data General Eclipse from the Harvard Cyclotron. They also have one of only two surviving Astronautics machines. Plus, there's a large selection of Wang VS machines.
Visiting the Learning Lab
The museum's Learning Lab is open every Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. About two dozen volunteers work there. They help take care of the collection and explain everything to visitors. If you want to visit the Lab or the Warehouse at other times, you can make an appointment.
Learning and Workshops
Hands-On Computer Fun
The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) offers exciting educational programs. Their members lead workshops on programming and robotics. They do this at public libraries across Rhode Island. They also host their own workshops right at the museum.
This special area is called the "Learning Lab." It offers classes for students who want to be creative with digital and traditional media. These workshops help kids think critically and learn about computers in a hands-on way.
Cool Workshop Topics
Some of the workshops include learning computer coding using Minecraft. You can also take apart electronic devices to see how they work. They teach you how to use Raspberry Pis, which are tiny computers the size of a credit card. You can also learn about Arduinos, which are open-source programs used for interactive projects.
The Museum in Movies and TV
Lending Tech to Hollywood
The Rhode Island Computer Museum has a unique role in the entertainment world. They often get calls to rent out their old equipment. This equipment is used as props for movies and TV shows. They've helped with everything from small independent projects to big Hollywood films.
In 2015, about one-third of the museum's total income came from these deals. It shows how important their collection is for making movies look real.
Movies and Shows Featuring RICM's Collection
Here are some of the films and TV shows that have used items from the museum's collection:
- Hidden Figures
- Joy
- Halt and Catch Fire
- The Americans
- Knives Out
