Computers & Business Machines
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
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Paperweight, Model of Amdahl 5890 Computer
- Description
- An lucite paperweight in the shape of a cube, containing a model of the Amdahl 5890 computer. The cube commemorates Amdahl's first 5890 shipment in June 1986. The bottom solid white.
- The donor worked for Amdahl Corporation from 1980 to 1988. He served primarily as a software systems engineer in Customer Support & Services but was also trained in use of hardware.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1986
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.06
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.06
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
