Living Computers: Museum + Labs

Living Computers: Museum + Labs

Exterior of the Museum
Established	25 October 2012 (2012-10-25)
Location	2245 1st Ave S Seattle, Washington
Coordinates	47.582487°N, 122.334708°W
Type	Computer museum
Founder	Paul Allen
Director	Lath Carlson
Curator	Aaron Alcorn
Public transit access	21, 594, 132, 106, 50, 102, 590, and 116 Bus Routes and the Link Light Rail
Nearest car park	Onsite and Street Parking
Website	www.livingcomputers.org

Living Computers: Museum + Labs (LCM+L) is a computer and technology museum located in the SoDo neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. LCM+L showcases vintage computers which provide interactive sessions, either through time-sharing operating systems or single-user interfaces. This gives users a chance to actually use the computers on-line or in person in the museum. An expansion adds direct touch experiences with contemporary technologies such as virtual reality, self-driving cars, and robotics. This puts today's computer technology in the context of how it's being used to tackle real-world issues. LCM+L also hosts a wide range of educational programs and events.

According to LCM+L's website, their goal is ‘to breathe life back into our machines so the public can experience what it was like to see them, hear them, and interact with them. We make our systems accessible by allowing people to come and interact with them, and by making them available over the Internet.^[1]

History

LCM+L (originally known as Living Computer Museum, and before that, PDPplanet.com) was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, on January 9, 2006. Through PDPplanet users were able to telenet into vintage devices and experience computing on "antique" mainframes such as systems from Control Data Corporation (CDC) and Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC).^[2]

Though PDPplanet.com no longer exists users can still request a login through the LCM+L website and telenet into systems from XKL, DEC, IBM, and CDC.^[3]

Living Computer Museum opened to the public on October 25, 2012 and guests can now visit the museum in person to interact with the collection of Mainframes, Minicomputers, Microcomputers and Peripherals the museum has on display.^[4] Displays in the museum show how much computers and technology have changed over the last 50 years and are still changing.^[5]

On November 18, 2016 the institution changed its name to Living Computers: Museum + Labs to reflect its enlarged goals of igniting curiosity through direct touch experiences with contemporary technologies as well as vintage computers.

Interesting Facts

Paul Allen also founded the EMP Museum and the Flying Heritage Collection.
On March 17, 2010, it was recognized by Washington State Senate Resolution 8721 "for its role in the preservation of the history of information technology".^[6]
In 2013 Seattle Weekly voted the museum the "Best Geeky Museum" because it highlights "an essential part of Seattle binary history- the founding of Microsoft and its role in establishing Seattle as a tech-driven industry".^[7]
LCM was the main sponsor of the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo in 2016.^[8]
Various artifacts from the museum have been borrowed and featured in TV shows such as Mad Men^[9] and Halt and Catch Fire,^[10] and movies such as Tomorrowland.^[11]

Collections and Exhibits

The collection consists of publicly donated items and Paul Allen’s personal collection. There are currently 7 mainframes, 10 minicomputers and 45 microcomputers on permanent display,^[4] as well as small temporary exhibits such as "Summer Blockbuster" – software inspired by movies and television.^[12] The museum also has two of its own libraries. The first is on the exhibit floor with reference books, user manuals and magazines about the history of computing, available for people to use while in the museum. The second is a collection that includes computers, peripherals, software, and documentation to assist engineers in the restoration and use of the vintage computers.^[13]

LCM+L is still actively collecting and restoring vintage computers to as close to their original state as possible.^[4]

A full list of the computers currently on display, and those coming soon can be found below.

Adam

Nova

Digital Equipment Corporation

DELL

Dell Dimension XPS B733

Exidy

Sorcerer

Gateway

2000 4DX-33

IBM

Teletype Corporation

Texas Instruments

TI-99/4A

Xerox

Sigma 9
Alto

Exhibits

Apple

Newton

FlipStart

XKL

TOAD-1

Available online through Telenet

Digital Equipment Corporation

Xerox

Sigma 9

XKL

TOAD-2

Under Restoration

Bendix Corporation

Bendix G-15 – Under Restoration, Coming Soon

Control Data Corporation

CDC 160-A - Under Restoration, Coming Soon
CDC 405 Card Reader - Under Restoration, Coming Soon

IBM

IBM System/360 Model 30- Under Restoration, Coming Soon

Programming Languages used at LCM

MACRO (Assembler for the PDP systems)
JCL
APL
C
LISP
BASIC
COBOL
FORTRAN
sh
awk

Games Available to Play, By Computer

Computer	Games
Atari 2600	Asteroids, Basketball, Adventure, Super Breakout, Donkey Kong, Berzerk, Tutankham, Jungle Hunt, MAS*H, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Breakout, Warlords, Missile Command, Star Raiders, Yar's Revenge, Video Checkers, Haunted House, Demons to Diamonds, E.T., Spiderman, Superman, Laser Blast, Freeway, Boxing, Indy 500, Chopper Command, Fishing Derby, Flag Capture, Outlaw, Human Cannonball, Sky Diver, Bowling, Slot Machine
TI-99	Dig Dug, Ambulance, Star Trek, Jungle Hunt, Adventure, Popeye, Chisholm Trail, Pole Position, Hangman, Moon Patrol, Protector, Picnic Paranoia, Qbert, Shamus, Munch Man, Parsec, Hunt the Wumpus, MunchMobile, Alpiner, Tombstone City, Blackjack and Poker, Treasure Island, The Attack, Car Wars
Amstrad CPC 464	Battleships, Monopoly, Fruit Machine, Oh Mummy, Ghostbusters, Molecule Man, Gauntlet II, Airwolf II, Into Oblivion, RadZone, Classic Adventure, Xanagrams, Cluedo, Sultan's Maze
Coleco Adam	Donkey Kong, Subroc, BC's Quest for Tires, Space Fury, Miner 2049er, Cosmic Avenger, GORF, Home Budget Planning, Adam Super Game Pack, Adam SmartBASIC, Slither, Centipede
TRS-80	Rat's Revenge, Star Trek, Invasion Force, Space Warp, Craps/Keno, Baccarat/Roulette, Slot Machine/Wheel of Fortune, Paddle Pinball
Apple IIe	Ulysses and the Golden Fleece, Wizard and the Princess, Rescue Raiders, Choplifter, Minit Man, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein, Android Invasion, Flight Simulator
Atari 400	E.T. Phone Home!, Centipede, Missile Command, Galaxian, Ms. Pacman, Pacman, Star Raiders, Space Invaders, Jungle Hunt, Jumpman Junior, Qix, Frogger, Moon Patrol
Osborne Executive	Chessmaster, Bridge Master
Commodore 64	Choplifter!, Ducks Ahoy!, Kickman, Bubble Burst, Rootin-Tootin', Congo Bongo, Beamrider, Contra, Castle Wolfenstein, Marble Madness, SimCity, Skyfox, Z-Pilot, Strike Force: Cobra, Predator, Jordan vs. Bird, Battle of Guadalcanal, Pharaoh's Revenge, Crossfire, Zenji, Lode Runner, Enchanter, Hitchhikers's Guide to the Galaxy, Storm (video game), Uninvited (video game), Threshold (video game), Paperboy (video game), Ms. Pac-Man, Lunar Leepers, Invaders of the Lost Tomb, Frogger, Dig Dug, Dark Side (video game), Cosmic Tunnels, G.I. Joe
Apple II	Zork, Crossword Magic, Sargon II
Amiga 500	Zany Golf, Earl Weaver Baseball, The Commissioner's Disk, Chroma Paint, Galactic Invasion, F/A-18 Interceptor, Rampage, Detonator, Space Battle, Civilization (video game), Midwinter (video game)
Atari 1040 ST	Time Bandit, Tanglewood, Crack'ed, MicroLeague Wrestling, Sim City, Dungeon Master, Harley Davidson, Tetra Quest
IBM AT	Hoyle's Official Book of Games, Star Fleet I, Star Fleet II
Commodore VIC-20	Star Post, Tooth Invaders, Pirate's Cove, Avenger, Sargon II Chess, Slot, Star Battle, Omega Race, Donkey Kong, Buck Rodgers, Pole Position, Demon Attack, Pinball, River Rescue, Visible Solar System, Sea Wolf, The Sky is Falling, Raid on Fort Knox, Adventure Land, Robot Panic
Commodore PET	Mastermind
Apple IIC	Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, Dig Dug, Moon Patrol, Jungle Hunt, Victory Road, Stickybear Numbers, Stickybear Opposites, Oregon Trail, Amnesia, Karateka
IBM PCjr	Demon Attack
DEC Rainbow 100	Zork I, Starcross
Amstrad PC 1512	SimCity, Bureaucracy, Crapsmaster, Planetfall, Wishbringer, Zork Trilogy
Tandy 1000	Maniac Mansion, Sim City, Arkanoid II, Turbo Champions, Solitaire
Compaq Deskpro 386S	Myst, Command & Conquer, Earthworm Jim, Total Annihilation, Chessmaster 5000, Monopoly, School House Rock, Risk
Dell XPS B733	The Sims, Fine Artist, Dangerous Creatures, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, Doom II, The Sims: Livin' Large, Age of Empires
Gateway 2000 4DX-33	Oregon Trail II, Creative Writer, Encarta '98, Encarta '98 Deluxe, Cinemania '98, Magic School Bus, Dinosaurs, Encarta '96 World Atlas

Photos

Harry Garland and Paul Allen at an event honoring computer pioneers at the museum in April 2013

Harry Garland and Bill Gates at the same event

A roughly 180° panorama of the "conditioned" room at the Living Computer Museum containing mainframes and large minicomputers.

In the Media

References

↑ "What is Living Computer Museum?". Retrieved January 12, 2016.
↑ "Paul G. Allen Launches Web Site Dedicated to Early Computers; PDPplanet.com Site Celebrates Historic Mainframes and Minicomputers | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com.
↑ "Request a Login". Retrieved January 12, 2016.
1 2 3 "Home - Living Computer Museum". www.livingcomputermuseum.org. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
↑ "Seattle's Living Computer Museum tempts tech tourists". USA Today. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
↑ "Washington State Senate Resolution 8721"
↑ "Best Geeky Museum: Living Computer Museum". Retrieved 17 August 2016.
↑ "Seattle Retro Gaming Expo". Seattle Retro Gaming Expo. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
↑ "Fashion and Style: Episode 704: Mad Men: The Monolith". AMC.
↑ "Welcome To 1986: Inside "Halt And Catch Fire's" High-Tech Time Machine". 27 August 2016.
↑ "In the Media - Living Computer Museum". www.livingcomputermuseum.org.
↑ "Summer 2016". livingcomputer.createsend.com. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
↑ "Search the LCM Library and Archive Catalog | V1.0". livingcomputermuseum.org. Retrieved 17 August 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Living Computer Museum.

Museums in the Puget Sound region

Art	911 Media Arts Center Bellevue Arts Museum Cascadia Art Museum Frye Art Museum Henry Art Gallery Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park Museum of Glass Museum of Northwest Art Olympic Sculpture Park Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art Seattle Art Museum Seattle Asian Art Museum Tacoma Art Museum Whatcom Museum of History and Art

Aviation	Flying Heritage Collection Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour Heritage Flight Museum McChord Air Museum Museum of Flight Olympic Flight Museum Port Townsend Aero Museum

Children's	Hands On Children's Museum KidsQuest Children's Museum Seattle Children's Museum

Culture	Museum of Pop Culture Nordic Heritage Museum Northwest African American Museum Suquamish Museum Quinault Museum Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

History	DuPont Museum Eastside Heritage Center Edmonds Historical Museum Harbor History Museum History House of Greater Seattle Issaquah Historical Museums Karshner Museum Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Museum of History and Industry Renton History Museum Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum Seattle Underground Washington State History Museum

Maritime	Browns Point Light Center for Wooden Boats Coast Guard Museum Northwest Northwest Seaport Snagboat Heritage Center Working Waterfront Maritime Museum

Military	Coast Guard Museum Northwest Lewis Army Museum McChord Air Museum Naval Undersea Museum Puget Sound Navy Museum Washington National Guard Museum

Natural sciences	Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Museum and Arts Center, Sequim, Washington

Science and technology	America's Car Museum Bellingham Railway Museum Georgetown Steam Plant Living Computer Museum Museum of Communications Pacific Science Center SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention Vintage Motorcycle Museum

See also: List of museums in Washington and Museums and galleries of Seattle

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