A New Museum is on the Drawing Board for Houston and Texas

 The Houston Computer Museum To Open in Houston Texas

On May 27, 2003 the Houston Computer Museum was incorporated as a Texas non-profit corporation by John R. Keys, Jr. and on April 9, 2004 our 501(C)(3) nonprofit status was approved by the IRS.  This museum proves to be a unique computer learning experience that will take the student from the dawn of the computer age (20,000+ years ago) to our current Internet driven society and beyond.  One might ask, what makes this museum so special?   One of the many things is the feature of interactivity which allows the museum patron to touch, play with, and explore technologies from the past and really appreciate and therefore understand the current Internet phenomenon we are experiencing.  Of course, as in all nonprofits, the Houston Computer Museum will need funding to make this a working reality.  Funding is needed from public funds at the city, county, state, and federal levels; plus corporate funds (sponsorships and grants); foundations grants; and private individuals. Currently the museum has close to 3000 items in storage and with proper funding will be able to put on display several rare historical computer items and documentation to truly enrich the knowledge of the Houston and surrounding community and facilitate future learning and growth.  Besides funding, the museum is also seeking computer items of all types to complete the various collection groups (see our wanted list).  Please call John Keys at (832) 373-8928 or email at donations@houstoncomputermuseum.org if you have any old or new computer equipment you would like to donate to the museum.  The museum's purpose is to preserve the history of computing technology, related items and allow our children to not only learn it but appreciate the strides that have taken place within the last 50+ years.

The Houston Computer Museum is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes, more specifically to support and conduct research, education, preservation, restoration, and informative activities to increase the public awareness of both classic and modern computer history.

-         To promote the conservation/preservation of historic computers and related items.

-         To restore historical systems to operational condition and allow hands-on display of these items.

-         To provide working computers not used by the museum at  no cost to the community (individual homes, other non-profits, and schools) who cannot afford them.

-         To provide jobs for local youth through special programs to gain their interest in computer technology.

-         To provide jobs & education to local seniors that have special or no skills sets in computer technology.

-         To provide a research resource for the general public, students, authors, researchers, Lawyers, and the computer industry from our large collection of computer-related magazines, manuals, books and other related materials in its archive. 

-         To provide a community center that brings together computer users, scientists, artists, vendors, and others. There will be an ongoing schedule of cultural and scientific presentations by scientists, artists, writers, computer pioneers, and others.

-         To preserve and present for posterity the artifacts and stories of the information age.

-         To provide various displays and presentations to schools, educational groups, and associations with an interest in the history and workings of the modern computer.

-         Bring together the scientific, artistic, and cultural aspects of computing for the benefit of the local and worldwide community.

-         Develop the awareness of the importance of historic computers and encourage research on them and the impact they have made on today’s society.  

-     We will have a mobile museum created from a converted school bus that will travel around the schools to offer interactive displays of computers and gaming systems to ages 7 and above.

-     We have a very large t-shirt, toy, mice and mousepad collection that will be on display.

-     We have a computer generated art collection and other computer related art/pictures that will be on display.

-     There is also a hand-held computer/PDA collection, a calculator collection, and a slide rule collection.

-      We have a stock certificate (computer & related companies) collection and a collection of all types of computer related ephemera items that will be on display. 

-       A game room with interactive play on Atari to XBOX consoles and many other hand held games for ages 6 to 96. 

To fulfill its mission, the Houston Computer Museum acquires, documents, and maintains a collection of computer artifacts of historical significance to computer technology. The collection preserves relevant historical documentation in all media. The Houston Computer Museum initiates and supports a broad range of activities from historical research and student supervision to exhibits, lectures, seminars, and other forms of public presentation. Historical research also covers the technological, economic, social, and cultural impact of computer technology on society.  Through our publicly accessible archive of computer hardware, software, manuals, literature, and ephemera we hope to promote interest in research and documenting the history of computer technology.

 Please think about this exciting new opportunity for Houston (and Texas) and the Information Technology industry.  Any funding, computer items, or volunteer time that you or your organization can donate will be appreciated.  Please email us at info@houstoncomputermuseum.org to obtain additional information.

Please spread the word -  we will need the support of people from all over Houston, the USA, and throughout the world.  Together, we can make the HCM a cultural asset that will make all of Houston proud!  

 

   

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