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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Book, The Business Machines and Equipment Digest
- Description
- This is a detailed catalogued of business equipment available in 1927, compiled by a Chicago firm headed bty J. H. McCarthy.
- This copy of the book is from the Patent Library of the Marchant Calculating Machine Company.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1927
- maker
- Equipment Research Corporation
- ID Number
- 1979.3084.160
- catalog number
- 1979.3084.160
- nonaccession number
- 1979.3084
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Sheets, Office Equipment Catalogue, Third Annual Edition
- Description
- Tis document is a continuation of the Office Equipment Catalogue, First Annual Edition (1979.3084.15), now published from Chicago. President of the publisher is Stanley H. Twist.
- This example is from the Patent Library at the Marchant Calculating Machine Company.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1926
- maker
- Office Equipment Catalogue, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1979.3084.161
- catalog number
- 1979.3084.161
- nonaccession number
- 1979.3084
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History