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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Wacky Wall Walker
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1982
- manufacturer
- Tradex Corporation
- maker
- Hakuta, Ken
- Tradex Corporation
- ID Number
- 2004.3029.08
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Happy Birthday Sandra
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1984-03-26
- Associated Date
- 1984-03-26
- ID Number
- 2018.0209.028A
- accession number
- 2018.0209
- catalog number
- 2018.0209.028
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
D.C. Rape Crisis Center
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1984
- maker
- Screen Stars Best
- ID Number
- 2004.0038.09
- accession number
- 2004.0038
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Amy Carter Dollhouse Furniture
- Date made
- 1977-1981
- maker
- Whitt, Peggy
- user
- Carter, Amy
- maker
- Whitt, Peggy
- ID Number
- 1999.0331.027
- accession number
- 1999.0331
- catalog number
- 1999.0331.027
- accession number
- 1999.0331
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tungsten miniature lamp
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca. 1924
- date ordered, given, or borrowed
- 1983 12 20
- ID Number
- 1984.0005.02
- accession number
- 1984.0005
- catalog number
- 1984.0005.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certificate
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 9 October 1981
- referenced
- Reagan, Ronald Wilson
- ID Number
- 2010.0147.88
- accession number
- 2010.0147
- catalog number
- 2010.0147.88
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Joan at 20 #2, Washington, D.C.
- Date made
- 1987 - 1990
- associated dates
- 1988 10 01 / 1988 10 01, 1988 10 30 / 1988 10 30
- maker
- Meredith, Ann
- ID Number
- 1992.3201.24
- catalog number
- 1992.3201.24
- nonaccession number
- 1992.3201
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
plate, printing
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1989
- ID Number
- 1991.3045.01
- catalog number
- 1991.3045.01
- nonaccession number
- 1991.3045
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Dry Sink, Amy Carter Dollhouse Furniture
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1977-1981
- maker
- Whitt, Peggy
- user
- Carter, Amy
- maker
- Whitt, Peggy
- ID Number
- 1999.0331.014
- catalog number
- 1999.0331.014
- accession number
- 1999.0331
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
poster
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1981 09
- affiliated union
- AFL-CIO
- associated institution
- United Federation of Teachers
- ID Number
- 1981.0791.06 [dup1]
- accession number
- 1981.0791
- catalog number
- 1981.0791.06
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
case
- associated dates
- 1987 07 01+ / 1987 07 01+, 1987 07 31- / 1987 07 31-
- ID Number
- 1991.0346.01.02
- catalog number
- 1991.0346.01.02
- accession number
- 1991.0346
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 10-09-1981
- referenced
- Reagan, Ronald Wilson
- maker
- Litton Industries
- ID Number
- 2010.0147.04
- catalog number
- 2010.0147.04
- accession number
- 2010.0147
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
blouse
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1986
- user
- Doering, Mary D.
- maker
- Comme de Garcons
- designer
- Kawakubo, Rei
- maker
- Comme des Garcons
- ID Number
- 1999.0251.008
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
print
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1989
- ID Number
- 1991.3045.03B
- catalog number
- 1991.3045.03B
- nonaccession number
- 1991.3045
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
hanger
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1970-1989
- used at
- Woodward & Lothrop
- maker
- Woodward & Lothrop
- ID Number
- 2001.0150.001
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Butterfly Person
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1986
- graphic artist
- MacDonald, Betty
- ID Number
- 1986.0925.07
- catalog number
- 1986.0925.07
- accession number
- 1986.0925
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
case
- associated dates
- 1983 12 05 / 1983 12 05
- ID Number
- 1994.0326.01.3
- catalog number
- 1994.0326.01.3
- accession number
- 1994.0326
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Knife Edge
- Description (Brief)
- Color woodcut on Asian laid paper, beige with flecks of fiber. Abstract composition of East Building, National Gallery of Art. Pencil signed below image Terry Parmelee, 1984; title, edition statement 14/50.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1984
- maker
- Parmelee, Terry
- ID Number
- 2015.0197.20
- accession number
- 2015.0197
- catalog number
- 2015.0197.20
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
booklet
- Location
- Currently not on view
- used date
- 06-06-1988
- depicted (sitter); quoted; referenced
- Kennedy, Robert F.
- referenced
- Kennedy, Edward M.
- Kennedy, Jr., John
- Glenn, John
- ID Number
- 2012.0164.58
- accession number
- 2012.0164
- catalog number
- 2012.0164.58
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
envelope
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Associated Date
- 1980
- referenced
- Kennedy, Edward M.
- ID Number
- 2012.0164.53
- accession number
- 2012.0164
- catalog number
- 2012.0164.53
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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