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Living Computers: Museum + Labs

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Living Computers: Museum + Labs (LCM+L) was a computer and technology museum located in the SoDo neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. LCM+L showcased vintage computers which provided interactive sessions, either through time-sharing operating systems or single-user interfaces. This gave users a chance to actually use the computers online or in-person in the museum. An expansion had added direct touch experiences with contemporary technologies such as self-driving cars, the internet of things, big data, and robotics. LCM+L had also hosted a wide range of educational programs and events in their state-of-the art classroom and lab spaces.

Living Computers: Museum + Labs
LCM+L Logo
Exterior of the museum
Map
EstablishedOctober 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
DissolvedFebruary 2020 (2020-02)
Location2245 1st Avenue South
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Coordinates47°34′57″N 122°20′05″W / 47.582487°N 122.334708°W / 47.582487; -122.334708
TypeComputer museum
Key holdingsPDP-10, IBM Mainframes, Apple 1, PLATO
FounderPaul Allen
CuratorAaron Alcorn
Public transit accessKing County Metro, Link light rail
Nearest car parkOnsite and Street Parking
Websitewww.livingcomputers.org

According to an archived version of LCM+L's website, their goal was "to breathe life back into our machines so the public can experience what it was like to see them, hear them, and interact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]

The museum closed in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In June 2024, The Paul Allen Estate announced that the museum would be permanently closed and that the museum's collection, most of which was owned by the Estate and not the museum itself, would be auctioned off[3] by Christie's.[4]

History

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

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 Telnet into vintage devices and experience timesharing computing on equipment from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and XKL.[5]

Users around the world could request a login through the LCM+L website and telnet into systems from XKL, DEC, IBM, Xerox Sigma, AT&T, and CDC.[6]

The museum opened to the public on October 25, 2012, and guests could visit in person to interact with the collection of mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers and peripherals the museum had on display.[7] Various and changing exhibits in the museum showed how much computers and technology had changed over the last 50 years and were changing still.[8] In 2013, Seattle Weekly voted the museum the "Best Geeky Museum" because it highlighted "an essential part of Seattle binary history - the founding of Microsoft and its role in establishing Seattle as a tech-driven industry".[9]

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.[10]

The museum closed in February 2020 and did not reopen afterward due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The Allen Estate announced the museum's permanent closure in June 2024 with plans to auction off some materials in the collection.[3]

Dave Plummer posted to one of his YouTube channels a private tour of the museum. Plummer posted to X saying "Thanks to Christie's Auctions, I managed to get a private tour of the Living Computers Museum in Seattle. It's been closed since Covid, and now everything is being auctioned off, so it's your last chance to see it all... and you can only see it here!"[12][13]

Collections and exhibits

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The collection consists of publicly donated items and Paul Allen's personal collection. The working computers on display included one supercomputer, seven mainframes, 10 minicomputers, and over three dozen microcomputers.[7]

Various artifacts from the museum were borrowed and featured in TV shows such as Mad Men[14] and Halt and Catch Fire.[15]

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

Computers

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Manufacturer Model Type Year Introduced Available for public use Telnet access[16]
Amazon Kindle 1[citation needed] hand-held 2007 Yes No
Amiga 500[citation needed] microcomputer 1987 Yes No
Apple Apple 1[citation needed] microcomputer 1976 Yes No
Apple II[17] microcomputer 1977 Yes No
Apple IIe[17] microcomputer 1983 Yes No
Apple III[citation needed] microcomputer 1980 Yes No
Apple Lisa 2[17] microcomputer 1984 Yes No
Apple iMac G3[citation needed] microcomputer 1998 Yes[citation needed] No
Apple Macintosh SE[17] microcomputer 1987 Yes No
Apple Power Mac G4[citation needed] microcomputer 1999 Yes No
AT&T DMD 5620 / 3B2[citation needed] minicomputer 1983 Yes Yes
Atari 2600[citation needed] video game console 1977 Yes No
Atari 400[17] microcomputer 1979 Yes No
Atari 1040 ST[17] microcomputer 1985 Yes No
Columbia Data Products MPC 1600[citation needed] microcomputer 1982 Yes No
Commodore PET[17] microcomputer 1977 Yes No
Commodore 64[17] microcomputer 1982 Yes No
Compaq DeskPro 386S[17] microcomputer 1989 Yes No
Compaq Portable[17] microcomputer 1983 Yes No
Control Data CDC 6500[17] supercomputer 1967 No Yes
Control Data DD60 monitor operator console 1964 No No
Control Data 405 card reader peripheral 1964 No No
Control Data CDC 679-6 magnetic tape transport peripheral 1964 No No
Cray Cray-1[18] mainframe 1975 No No
Cromemco Z-2D[17] microcomputer 1978 Yes No
Data General Nova[17] minicomputer 1969 Yes No
DEC PDP-7[17] minicomputer 1964 No No
DEC PDP-8/E[17] minicomputer 1970 Yes No
DEC PDP-10 KA10 (DECsystem-10)[17] mainframe 1968[19] No No
DEC PDP-10 KI10 (DECsystem-10)[17] mainframe 1971 No No[citation needed]
DEC PDP-10 KL10 (DECSYSTEM-2065)[17] mainframe 1974 Yes Yes
DEC PDP-10 KL10 (DECSYSTEM-1095)[17] mainframe 1974 Yes Yes
DEC PDP-10 KS10 (DECSYSTEM-2020)[17] mainframe 1979 Yes Yes[citation needed]
DEC PDP-11/70[17] minicomputer 1975 Yes Yes
DEC PDP-12[17] minicomputer 1969 No No
DEC VAX-11/780-5[17] minicomputer 1982 Yes Yes
DEC VT131[citation needed] terminal 1981 Yes[citation needed] No
Dell Dimension XPS B733[17] microcomputer 1999 Yes No
E.S.R. Digi-Comp II reproduction[citation needed] toy computer 1965 (original patent); 2012 (reproduction) Yes No
Honeywell 6180 DPS-8/M maintenance panel and Multics emulator[17] peripheral; emulation of mainframe 1973 (mainframe) No No
IBM System/360 Model 30 mainframe mainframe 1964 No No
IBM System/360 Model 91 front panel[citation needed] peripheral 1966 No No
IBM 029 card punch[citation needed] peripheral 1964 Yes[citation needed] No
IBM 4361[17][failed verification] mainframe 1983 Yes Yes
IBM Personal Computer 5150[17] microcomputer 1981 Yes No
IBM PCjr[17] microcomputer 1984 Yes No
IBM PC/AT[17] microcomputer 1984 Yes No
IMLAC Corporation PDS-1 "sImlac" emulator[17] emulation of minicomputer 1970s (minicomputer); 2017 (emulator) Yes No
IMSAI 8080[17] microcomputer 1975 Yes No
Interdata 7/32[17] minicomputer 1974 Yes Yes[citation needed]
MITS Altair 8800[17] microcomputer 1975 Yes No
Microsoft PixelSense[17] microcomputer 2007 Yes No
NeXT NeXTcube[citation needed] microcomputer 1990 Yes No
Nintendo NES-101[citation needed] video game console 1993 Yes No
Osborne Executive[17] microcomputer 1982 Yes No
PLATO Terminal V[citation needed] microcomputer 1976 Yes No
Processor Technology Sol-20[17] microcomputer 1976 Yes No
Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4[17] microcomputer 1983 Yes No
Sun Microsystems 3/160[17] microcomputer 1986 Yes No
Tandy 1000[17] microcomputer 1984 Yes No
Tandy Color Computer 3[citation needed] microcomputer 1986 Yes No
Teletype Model 33[citation needed] terminal 1963 No No
Teletype Model 35[citation needed] terminal 1963 No No
Teletype Model 37[citation needed] terminal 1968 No No
Texas Instruments Speak & Spell Compact[citation needed] hand-held 1982 Yes No
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A[citation needed] microcomputer 1981 Yes No
Xerox Sigma 9[17] mainframe 1971 Yes Yes
Xerox Alto[17] minicomputer 1973 Yes No
Xerox Alto "ContrAlto" simulator[17] emulation of minicomputer 1973 (minicomputer); 2016 (emulator) Yes No
XKL TOAD-1[17] mainframe 1995 Yes No
XKL TOAD-2[17] mainframe 2005 Yes Yes

References

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  1. ^ "What is Living Computer Museum?". Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  2. ^ "LIVING COMPUTERS: MUSEUM + LABS IS CLOSING FOR NOW". Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Schlosser, Kurt (June 25, 2024). "Seattle's Living Computers Museum logs off for good as Paul Allen estate will auction vintage items". GeekWire. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  4. ^ "Inside the historic computer collection of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen". Christie's. July 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Paul G. Allen Launches Web Site Dedicated to Early Computers; PDPplanet.com Site Celebrates Historic Mainframes and Minicomputers | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com (Press release). Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  6. ^ "Application for a Guest Account on the Living Computers: Museum + Labs". Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Home - Living Computer Museum". Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  8. ^ "Seattle's Living Computer Museum tempts tech tourists". USA Today. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  9. ^ "Best Geeky Museum: Living Computer Museum". Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  10. ^ Schlosser, Kurt (October 25, 2016). "Paul Allen's Living Computers: Museum + Labs rebranded and expanded to better 'ignite curiosity'". GeekWire.
  11. ^ Bumpus, Kayvon (September 25, 2022). "Paul Allen's Living Computers Museum remains closed after years, despite lifted COVID restrictions".
  12. ^ https://x.com/davepl1968/status/1827863018417561619 [bare URL]
  13. ^ Dave's Garage (August 25, 2024). Rare Private Tour of Seattle's long-closed Living Computer Museum. Retrieved August 26, 2024 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "Fashion and Style: Episode 704: Mad Men: The Monolith". AMC.
  15. ^ "Welcome To 1986: Inside "Halt And Catch Fire's" High-Tech Time Machine". August 27, 2016.
  16. ^ "Request a login". Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar "Vintage Computers". Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  18. ^ Miller, Michael J. (August 17, 2017), "Visiting the Living Computers Museum", PC Magazine
  19. ^ "PDP10 manual" (PDF). December 1968.

Further reading

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