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


-
View from Washington Monument
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1890
- ID Number
- PG.008033.01.22
- accession number
- 1992.0383
- catalog number
- 8033.01.22
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
phonorecord
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1890
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287705
- catalog number
- 287705
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1892
- associated institution
- Grand Army of the Republic
- ID Number
- NU.97084
- catalog number
- 97084
- 26228
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
patent model, harrow
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1890-11-04
- inventor
- Mack, Henry L.
- ID Number
- AG.440047
- catalog number
- 440047
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 440,047
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
1 Dollar, Treasury Note, United States, 1891
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) dollar note, proof
- United States, 1891
- Obverse Image: Portrait of Edwin Stanton.
- Obverse Text: ONE / 1 / TREASURY NOTE / B000000* / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL PAY TO BEARER ONE DOLLAR IN COIN. / WASHINGTON, D.C. / SERIES OF 1891 / LEGAL TENDER ACT JULY 14, 1890. / C / C 28 / REGISTER OF THE TREASURY / TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES / STANTON / BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING.
- Reverse Image: N/A
- Reverse Text: N/A
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1891
- associated date
- 1891
- maker
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- 2001.0009.0721
- accession number
- 2001.0009
- catalog number
- 2001.0009.0721
- serial number
- B000000
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
phonorecord
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1890
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287820
- catalog number
- 287820
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1892
- associated person
- Washington, George
- associated institution
- Grand Army of the Republic
- ID Number
- NU.69.194.7
- catalog number
- 69.194.7
- 286470
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
program
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1892 01 30
- associated person
- Harrison, Benjamin
- ID Number
- PL.211566.01
- catalog number
- 211566.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1893 03 04
- associated person
- Cleveland, Grover
- ID Number
- PL.315264.3647
- catalog number
- 315264.3647
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
ribbon
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1897
- ID Number
- NU.203239
- catalog number
- 203239
- 35582
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
President's Mansion, Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1890s
- retailer
- Underwood & Underwood Illustration Studios
- publisher
- Jarvis, J. F.
- ID Number
- 2008.3019.0013
- nonaccession number
- 2008.3019
- catalog number
- 2008.3019.0013
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Randolph Street, Chicago
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1890s
- retailer
- Underwood & Underwood Illustration Studios
- publisher
- Jarvis, J. F.
- ID Number
- 2008.3019.0011
- nonaccession number
- 2008.3019
- catalog number
- 2008.3019.0011
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Trente et Quarente Salon, Monte Carlo
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1897
- retailer
- Underwood & Underwood Illustration Studios
- publisher
- Jarvis, J. F.
- ID Number
- 2008.3019.0031
- nonaccession number
- 2008.3019
- catalog number
- 2008.3019.0031
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Specialized quartzite blades, probably in the main arrowpoints, from Potomac villiage-sites (actual size).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1897
- publisher
- Government Printing Office
- author
- Holmes, William Henry
- ID Number
- 2000.0207.063
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1892
- associated institution
- Grand Army of the Republic
- ID Number
- NU.67.98377 [dup1]
- catalog number
- 67.98377
- 275799
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Puck's Fourth of July Nightmare
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1890 07 02
- associated person
- McKinley, William
- associated institution
- Republican National Party
- ID Number
- PL.227739.1890.A23
- catalog number
- 227739.1890.A23
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Washington Monument
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1890
- ID Number
- PG.008033.01.12
- accession number
- 1992.0383
- catalog number
- 8033.01.12
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
phonorecord
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1890-02-12
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287744
- catalog number
- 287744
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
1 Dollar, Proof, Silver Certificate, United States, 1891
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) dollar note, proof
- United States, 1891
- Obverse Image: Portrait of Martha Washington in oval.
- Obverse Text: 1 / ONE / SILVER CERTIFICATE / ENGRAVED AND PRINTED AT THE BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING. / THIS CERTIFIES THAT THERE HAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE TREASURY OF THE UNITED STATES ONE SILVER DOLLAR PAYABLE TO BEARER ON DEMAND. / WASHINGTON, D.C. / MARTHA WASHINGTON / E000000 / SERIES 1891. / B / ACT OF AUGUST 4, 1886.
- Reverse Image: N/A
- Reverse Text: N/A
- General Information: Rosecrans/Nebeker, small red scalloped seal (Fr. 222). Serial no. E000000, plate pos. B, plate 30B.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1891
- associated date
- 1891
- maker
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.4131.1
- accession number
- 19556
- catalog number
- 4131.1
- serial number
- E000000
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1893
- 1492
- associated person
- Cleveland, Grover
- Columbus, Christopher
- ID Number
- PL.315264 [dup70]
- catalog number
- 315264
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Pages
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- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-WA-box 1 86
- Photography 44
- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-DC 26
- Description and travel 24
- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-WA-box 2 21
- Furnishings 16
- Souvenirs 13
- Children 11
- Architecture 8
- Food 8
- Gifts & Presents 8
- American Civil War (1861-1865) 7
- Civil War, 1861-1865 7
- Infants 7
- Christening 6
- Clothing and dress 6
- Dress accessories 6
- Smoking 6
- Tourist Trade 6
- Transportation 6
-
object type
- Certified Proof 139
- Exchange Medium 137
- Face 137
- Money 137
- certified proof 137
- Phonograph records 114
- Sound recordings 96
- Badges 36
- Stereographs 26
- stereograph 26
- stereoview 26
- Proof sheet 19
- Flatware 18
- Spoons 17
- Photographs 14
- lantern slide 7
- Ribbon (material) 6
- Pipe; Smoking Equipment 5
- note 5
- pipe, tobacco 5
- date
- place
- culture
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set name
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection 200
- Coins, Currency and Medals 158
- Work and Industry: Mechanisms 117
- Home and Community Life: Domestic Life 46
- Work and Industry: Photographic History 45
- Photography 44
- Domestic Furnishings 16
- Work and Industry: Graphic Arts 9
- Food 8
- Home and Community Life: Costume 7
- Political and Military History: Political History, Campaign Collection 7
- Transportation 6
- Walter J. Hussey Collection 6
- Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences 5
- Work and Industry: Electricity 5
- Measuring & Mapping 4
- Political and Military History: Political History, General History Collection 4
- Religion 4
- Work and Industry: Transportation, Railroad 4
- America on the Move 3