Numerical Artifacts Museum - Information Pratique, Computer museum in Namur, Belgium
The Numerical Artifacts Museum, also known as NAM-IP, is a computer museum in Namur, Belgium, devoted to the history of calculating machines and digital devices. The exhibition covers several centuries of development, moving from early counting tools like the abacus through to personal computers and smartphones.
The museum is the first of its kind in Belgium and grew from the effort to protect collections of old computing machines gathered by private collectors over many years. In 2013, a fund set up by the King Baudouin Foundation formally took ownership of these collections to ensure they would be preserved.
One of the collections on display is dedicated to the use of computers in biblical research, showing an unexpected link between technology and religious texts. This draws a wide range of visitors, from school groups to researchers.
The museum welcomes school groups, families, and individual visitors, and guided tours can be arranged in advance, including outside regular opening hours. The exhibition rooms are accessible to people with limited mobility, and staff can assist in French, Dutch, and English.
One of the collections comes directly from the Bull-FEBB and Unisys companies, which were central to Belgium's early computing industry. Without the museum, these machines would most likely have been lost or scrapped.
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