Computers & Business Machines

Apple II Personal Computer

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

Name: Apple Computer

Apple Lisa II Microcomputer

The Apple Lisa introduced the graphic user interface (GUI) into the Apple Computer Corporation's line of personal computers. Instead of using only text-based commands, users could employ pictorial icons displayed on the screen to initiate operations.
Description
The Apple Lisa introduced the graphic user interface (GUI) into the Apple Computer Corporation's line of personal computers. Instead of using only text-based commands, users could employ pictorial icons displayed on the screen to initiate operations. Officially, "Lisa" stood for "Local Integrated Software Architecture," but it was also the name of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' daughter. This computer was also Jobs "baby," as he championed its creation and believed it would revolutionize personal computing. Apple spent four years and $50 million to develop it, but it turned out to be a commercial flop, in large part because of the $10,000 per unit cost. Only 80,000 were eventually sold. The Lisa is most important historically as the computer that pioneered concepts later used in the far more successful Macintosh.
This Lisa has model number A65B100 and serial number B08B832370482. It was owned and used by Roslyn Lang and her family. Her husband used it for academic work, while she and her children used it for computer games. She said: "As I recall, these were mainly games that you played against the software by looking at pictures of a castle and trying to free the princess without being eaten by an ogre!”
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1983
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
2005.0056.01
catalog number
2005.0056.01
accession number
2005.0056

Apple IIGS Microcomputer

The computers in the Apple II family were among the most popular personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s. The last model and most impressive of the Apple II family was the Apple II GS (GS=graphics + sound).
Description
The computers in the Apple II family were among the most popular personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s. The last model and most impressive of the Apple II family was the Apple II GS (GS=graphics + sound). When it was released in September of 1986—Apple's 10th anniversary—at the price of $999 (without a monitor—or $1498 with an RGB monitor), the Apple II GS competed against other computers such as the Commodore Amiga and the Atari ST.
The Apple II GS used the Western Design Center 65816 16 bit microprocessor, which ran at 2.8 Mhz. It had 256 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 8 MB. There were seven slots to accommodate an expansion of memory. It was the first computer to utilize the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) which linked standard input device such as keyboards, mice, and graphics tablets. This made it possible for Apple to sell a single set of peripherals that both the Apple Computer and later the Macintosh could use. The IIGS display had a 600 X 200 pixel mode with 2-bit palletized cooler and a 320 X 200 pixel mode with a 4-bit palletized color. The Apple II GS could display 256 colors on the screen. Its ProDOS 16 as system software allowed users to handle any number of open files at the same time.
The IIGS seemed well positioned to capture a large market. However, by the time it was released, Apple was putting its energy into developing the Macintosh and the IIGS suffered from limited marketing. Apple discontinued the line in December 1992.
This example of the Apple IIGS is model number A26000, Serial number A2S2-E80113DA2S6000. For related documentation, see 1998.3062.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1986
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
1998.0199.01
catalog number
1998.0199.01
accession number
1998.0199

Apple Macintosh Mouse

Invented in 1963, the mouse improved interactions with computers. However, not until 1984, when Apple Computers introduced the Macintosh and its graphical user interface, did the mouse become a standard computer component.Currently not on view
Description
Invented in 1963, the mouse improved interactions with computers. However, not until 1984, when Apple Computers introduced the Macintosh and its graphical user interface, did the mouse become a standard computer component.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1984
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
1985.3011.01.1
catalog number
1985.3011.01.1
nonaccession number
1985.3011

Apple Macintosh Microcomputer

The Apple Macintosh microcomputer introduced a graphic user interface (GUI) to the Apple line of computers. The idea had originated at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s, but Xerox was slow to commercialize it.
Description
The Apple Macintosh microcomputer introduced a graphic user interface (GUI) to the Apple line of computers. The idea had originated at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s, but Xerox was slow to commercialize it. Apple proved far more successful when it introduced the Macintosh in January 1984, with a splashy television advertisement during the Superbowl. The original price was around $2,500.
Instead of typing out names of programs on command lines, users with a GUI could click "icons," or pictures that represented the programs they wanted to run. They could also execute functions like saving, moving, or deleting files by clicking and dragging the icons around the screen with a pointing device called a mouse. Apple's version of the mouse had a single button, which became an Apple standard. The first Macintosh, exemplified by this object, had only 128K RAM, and users quickly found this insufficient. The Macintosh 512 KB, nicknamed "Fat Mac," was introduced in September 1984. It gave users four times as much memory, and allowed them to keep several major programs open simultaneously (for an example of this machine see 1985.3011.01). The vertical processor case and 9" monochrome screen were distinguishing features of all the early Macintosh line.
The Macintosh 512 KB contained a Motorola 68000 microprocessor which ran at 8 MHz. It contained 512 KB of RAM and 64 KB of ROM and initially had a 400 KB Floppy disk drive. Applications included MacWrite, a word processor, and MacPaint, a drawing program that turned the mouse into a paintbrush. Shortly after the 512 KB appeared, Apple also introduced a LaserWriter printer, which enabled desktop publishing for individuals and small businesses. Over time, Apple computers would appeal most strongly to artists and designers, while the IBM/DOS line of computers sold better in business markets.
After selling hundreds of thousands of units, Apple discontinued the "Mac Classic" line of computers in April 1986.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1984
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
1985.0118.01
catalog number
1985.0118.01
accession number
1985.0118

Apple II Microcomputer

In 1976, computer pioneers Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs began selling their Apple I computer in kit form to computer stores. By August of that year, Wozniak started designing an improved version, the Apple II.
Description
In 1976, computer pioneers Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs began selling their Apple I computer in kit form to computer stores. By August of that year, Wozniak started designing an improved version, the Apple II. Wozniak and Jobs demonstrated a prototype in December, and then introduced it to the public in April 1977. The Apple II started the boom in personal computer sales in the late 1970s, and pushed Apple into the lead among personal computer makers.
The Apple II used a MOS 6502 chip for its central processing unit. It came with 4 KB RAM, but could be extended up to 48 KB RAM. It included a BASIC interpreter and could support graphics and a color monitor. External storage was originally on cassette tape, but later Apple introduced an external floppy disk drive. Among the Apple II's most important features were its 8 expansion slots on the motherboard. These allowed hobbyists to add additional cards made by Apple and many other vendors who quickly sprung up. The boards included floppy disk controllers, SCSI cards, video cards, and CP/M or PASCAL emulator cards.
In 1979 Software Arts introduced the first computer spreadsheet, Visicalc for the Apple II. This "killer application" was extremely popular and fostered extensive sales of the Apple II.
The Apple II went through several improvements and upgrades. By 1984, when the Macintosh appeared, over 2 million Apple II computers had been sold.
The Warners acquired ithis computer in the fall of 1981, partly for use by their son Benjamin who had just turned thirteen. He used it to play Pacman. Jack Warner's 2023 recollection of using the computer was as follows: "A friend told me about a wonderful new computer and a program, Visicalc, written by Dan Bricklin, that would allow you to easily manipulate numbers in cells and generate equations.
It proved to be a good tool to generate spreadsheets (a new word then!) to analyze potential real estate investments and returns. The kids loved to play Little Brick Out and Lemonade Stand, two games that came with the Apple software. Lisa also and Apple program allowed you to ask questions, with Lisa returning an answer that led you on. It appeared to be prescient! "Alien Rain" in which items dropped from the top of the screen and you would have to shoot them down by moving the arrow keys fascinated the kids for hours and days. The breakthrough for usefulness was the acquisition of "Magic Word", probably the first word processor for Apple. An Epson dot matrix printer was added shortly thereafter, 80 cpi, wow! The setup donated to the SI includes an Apple floppy drive and Offbrand Monitor (Apple monitors were hard to come by. At one point I unhooked the floppy drive while the machine was running and blew out the floppy board. No hot swapping then! It was all cut and try. The addition of the MicroSoft CP/M internal board later allowed the use of Wordstar, a feature rich word processor. The following year, we set up 3 Apple IIs and employed the family to quickly generate a computer file from a manuscript in record time. Impressed the client!"
In addition to the central processing unit and keyboard for the Apple II (1990.0167.01.1), the NMAH collections include the monitor for the machine (1990.0167.01.2), the disk drive (1990.0167.02), an Apple Silenttype printer (1990.0167.03.1) and a circuit board for the printer (1990.0167.03.2).
Reference:
Personal Communication, Jack Warner, June 30, 2023.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977-1987
date made
1980
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
1990.0167.01.1
catalog number
1990.0167.01.1
accession number
1990.0167

Apple II Microcomputer, "Black Apple"

This Black Apple, model number A2S1048B, was a version of the Apple II Plus made by Apple Computer, Inc. and sold only to educational institutions by Bell & Howell, at that time a company specializing in audiovisual equipment.
Description
This Black Apple, model number A2S1048B, was a version of the Apple II Plus made by Apple Computer, Inc. and sold only to educational institutions by Bell & Howell, at that time a company specializing in audiovisual equipment. It earned the nicknames "Black Apple" and "Darth Vader" because its case was black instead of the usual beige color of the Apple II Plus. To make the computer more versatile, Bell & Howell added audio and video slots onto the Apple II Plus and also made it UL-compliant. By allowing Bell & Howell to sell their modified product, Apple was able to succeed in the educational market.
This example of a Black Apple was used in the Ferndale Public Schools in Ferndale, Michigan.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1980s
maker
Bell & Howell
Apple Computer
ID Number
2002.0153.01
accession number
2002.0153
catalog number
2002.0153.01

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.