Computer History Museum, Computer museum in Mountain View, United States
The Computer History Museum occupies a former Silicon Graphics building at 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View. Its white curved facade has a glass grid above a solid band, and a low wall at ground level reads "COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM" beside a red and white square logo. Inside, the 25,000 sq ft Revolution exhibition spans 20 galleries from the abacus to the Internet.
The collection began in 1968 when Gordon Bell sought out historic computers while others worked to save the Whirlwind. A first exhibit opened in 1975 in a converted coat closet in a DEC lobby, and the museum was incorporated in 1982. After a Boston period on Museum Wharf, a History Center was set up at Moffett Field in 1996/1997, and the museum took its present name in 2000. It opened at 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd in 2002 in a former Silicon Graphics building, reopening in January 2011 after a two-year, $19 million renovation.
Inside, you can see how calculating machines from the 1800s evolved into portable devices that everyone carries today. The displays trace the path from mechanical parts made of wood and metal to the tiny chips that power smartphones.
The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday and offers guided tours and workshops for different age groups. On Fridays, the building stays open longer in the evening so working visitors can stop by after hours.
A restored IBM mainframe from the 1960s runs live demonstrations regularly and executes simple programs stored on punch cards. Visitors can watch as the machine rattles and lights blink across its panels.
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