The Interim Computer Museum

(icm.museum)

144 points | by mulmen 12 hours ago

15 comments

  • incanus77 12 hours ago
    A fantastic collection and restoration effort. I highly encourage a visit. I was in Seattle last year and had recently joined and pinged about maybe getting a tour. It was right before a vintage computer festival and despite being busy getting ready, Stephen, the director, encouraged me to drop in.

    I would've been happy just looking (and not even touching) by myself for 15 or 20 minutes given the circumstances, but Stephen spent 1.5 hours with me in a hands-on tour, including playing Spacewar. He genuinely cares about these machines, their preservation, and spreading enthusiasm about them. I only wish I was a little closer (3 hours away in Portland) or I'd spend more time on-site helping with the effort.

  • CircuitSeuss 10 hours ago
    If you’re in the area, check out the Connections Museum too! https://www.telcomhistory.org/ConnectionsSeattle.html
  • nipmi 2 hours ago
    Really awesome looking collection! I want to go next time I visit Seattle.

    I know there's a great museum near Atlanta for those interested in vintage computing who live on the other side of the country -- https://mimmsmuseum.org

    I believe both of these museums got lots of artifacts from the LCM, so its legacy lives on

  • dang 12 hours ago
    Discussed (only?) once before:

    The Interim Computer Museum - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37304983 - Aug 2023 (15 comments)

    • mulmen 10 hours ago
      Yes, I’m surprised it has not been discussed more.

      I submitted this because it appears to be something of a successor to Paul Allen’s Living Computers museum which I occasionally see mentioned in comments. I think we were all disappointed at how that ended so I was relieved to see this project is carrying the torch.

    • ChrisArchitect 11 hours ago
      Somewhat related discussion about developments with the Living Computer Museum, whose collection is connected to this:

      Living Computers Museum to permanently close, auction vintage items

      https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40789179

      • xhkkffbf 17 minutes ago
        Did this collection come from the LCM? It was sad to see that one go along with Paul Allen.
  • simfree 12 hours ago
    ICM on a Saturday and Connections Museum on a Sunday is a delightful pairing! Close to the airport too if your just popping by on a layover, though plan on 2 to 4 hours for each
  • leoc 7 hours ago
    Its YouTube channel has some nice video, including footage of the KL-10: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSXexPtkcnmJ59mPoeZyGDWQ... .
  • ilaksh 1 hour ago
    Click on the Recollections page, it has a bunch of real vintage Unix (etc.) computers you can log into.
  • theycallmeritik 7 hours ago
    It's awesome seeing physical computing history preserved like this, especially the lesser-known enterprise machines that usually just get scrapped when a company shuts down.
  • justbits 5 hours ago
    Hi that's fantastic collection, I love it. It actually kind of pair with a project about source code, no hardware: https://www.programmingmuseum.com/
  • ricksunny 8 hours ago
    I want to see models of Vannevar Bush's rapid analytical machine computers supplied to the proto-NSA.

    See Colin Burke and Pieces of the Action

  • contingencies 5 hours ago
    In the same vein if you're in Sydney check out the Australian Computer Museum https://acms.org.au/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/UKtUrrDpDnfAWn6d6
  • formvoltron 2 hours ago
    cool. the orange glow reminds me of the first time i used a networked computer....

    the Plato system. I was about 12 and some dude on the dungeon game said he was in california. I was in northern Michigan. That broke my brain for the day.

  • Founderarcstone 9 hours ago
    hey great work !
  • einpoklum 7 hours ago
    That looks like a very useful way to convert one's obsession with holding on to old computers and tinkering with them to a socially-education experience.

    But who will keep the keyboards clean from all of the crud that collects over the years? :-P

  • buyverifiedcash 10 hours ago
    [dead]