The Computer Museum in Swindon, United Kingdom - Support Needed

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Jeffery Stein [jeffery () ithistory org]
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 11:02 AM
To: David Farber
Subject: The Computer Museum in Swindon, United Kingdom - Support Needed



April 7, 2008


Dear Mr. Farber,



As you can see from the email below from a fellow member, the Computer Museum in Swindon, United Kingdom, is losing its 
home and has so far not been able to find a new home.  If any of you have suggestions for the museum or are in a 
position to help them resolve this problem, please contact Simon Webb, whose email address is given below.





________________________________



From: Simon Webb [mailto:info () museum-of-computing org uk]





Dear Computer Museum Supporter



We would like to ask for your help regarding the future of the Computer Museum.



The Museum is currently at the Oakfield Campus of Bath University in Swindon.  In July, this year Bath University will 
be closing the Oakfield Campus and withdrawing from Swindon.  We are grateful to Bath University for the support that 
they have given us since the Museum opened in 2003.



Nevertheless, the closure of Oakfield means that the Museum will be without a home.  We have explored the more obvious 
avenues but these have not produced an alternative.



We wondered whether you had any suggestions as to where the Museum could move.  We are keen to remain in Swindon in a 
place that is relatively easy for people to visit.  At the moment the storage area (of unused exhibits) is 100 square 
meters and the display area (of exhibits on display) is 75 square meters.  The storage area and the display area are 
currently together but they could, if necessary, be separated.  Any suggestions would be gratefully received.  A short 
background to the Museum is shown below.



Jeremy Holt, Chairman



Simon Webb, Curator



Background to the Swindon Computer Museum



After a 13 year struggle, the Computer Museum opened in 2003.  Exhibitions have included a history of Home Computers, 
'Calculator', 'Computers on the Move', 'High Score' and our current history of the games console 'Pong to Playstation'.



The Calculator exhibition was opened by Sir Clive Sinclair who described the museum as 'fantastic and very important'.  
The Duke of Kent paid a visit to the Museum last year and said it was 'most interesting and exciting'.  The museum has 
now what has been described as 'a very significant collection' of items, with over 3000 of hardware, 2000 of software 
and over 2000 printed.



The Museum has received fantastic TV coverage from the BBC, ITV, and CNN.  We were listed in the Independent as one of 
the top 50 museum you should visit and featured in the Times Educational supplement.  We are frequently used by the 
media for IT launch events and receive visitors from all over the world.



Thanks to sponsorship by Intel, we have been able to improve our displays and start an education outreach program.  We 
have school visits where both teachers and pupils are very enthusiastic about what we are doing.  The museum has also 
been working towards museum accreditation, a not insignificant task for a volunteer run museum, and we are now ready to 
apply for this.



The Museum has never received one penny of public funding and has been run entirely on donations and help from a 
determined group of volunteers.  We think the Museum is a fantastic resource for not only Swindon, but for the UK, a 
resource we do not wish to lose.


Best regards,

Jeffery D. Stein
Chairman




(415) 435-7464 Tel
(415) 435-6115 Fax
www.IThistory.org<http://www.ithistory.org>

IT History Society
98 Main Street
Suite 255
Tiburon, CA 94920


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