Museums with Calculator Displays
This page features museums which have displays of calculators that can be visited so that the calculators "can be seen in the flesh".
Country:
UK
Museum of Computing, Swindon
The Museum of Computing at Swindon is committed to the preservation
and display of examples of early computers, and also had a display of mechanical and electronic calculators.
The museum was housed on the University of Bath campus at Swindon but sadly had to close in March 2008 by the withdrawal of the University from Swindon.
Happily, on 8th August 2009 the long-awaited re-opening took place after relocating within Swindon, with the main sponsor being Intel.
The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park
The still expanding The National Museum of Computing is located on the Bletchley Park site alongside the main WW II code-breaking museum.
Situated next to the pioneering Colossus computer rebuild, items on display include main-frame computers, early personal computers (some of which are up and running for visitors to experience using them), and about 50 mechanical and electronic calculators.
Note that this museum is only open at certain times, not all the time that Bletchley Park is open, so you are advised to check that it is open before visiting.
Part of the calculator display in the The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park.
Close up of some of the calculators on display.
Science Museum, London
The Science Museum in London has a display of several dozens of mechanical and electronic calculators in its Computing section.
Part of the very informative display of mechanical calculators, which includes demonstration models of the pin-wheel and stepped-drum mechanisms which the visitor can operate.
The prototype ANITA calculator with some covers removed and a mirror mounted to show the vacuum tube at the rear.
The ANITA was the world's first desktop electronic calculator.
U.S.A.
American Computer Museum, Bozeman, Montana
Has a "comprehensive assortment of antique office appliance such as typewriters, Arithmometers, adding machines, furniture, electric fans, staplers, pencil sharpeners, etc. that await them - not to mention hundreds of slide rules, dozens of mainframe computers and peripherals and scores of personal computers".
Calculator Resources
Vintage Calculators
Text & photographs copyright, except where stated otherwise, © Nigel Tout 2000-2024.