Living Computers Museum in Seattle seems to be closing.. ;-(

[John Kennedy]

Although they are currently closed to visitors, this email they just sent makes it sound like they are closing closing. The parent company, Vulcan Inc, it also closing the iconic Cinerama cinema in Seattle and a military museum too by the sounds of it. This is terrible news to all computer geeks. If you know this museum, you know how unique it is and what it's done to preserve important hardware. I hope something happens to ensure it survives.

-----

 

The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many cultural organizations, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events to achieve their mission. Given so much uncertainty, we have made the very difficult decision to suspend all operations of Living Computers: Museum + Labs for now.

Since we opened, our philosophy has been simple. To understand computing technology, you need to experience that technology firsthand. The current global situation is making it difficult for us to serve our mission and we will spend the months ahead reassessing if, how, and when to reopen.

In the coming weeks we’ll follow up with information about ticket, membership and donation refunds. If you have any immediate questions, please reach out to in...@livingcomputers.org or if you are a Living Computers: Museum + Labs member, mem...@livingcomputers.org.

Thank you to our members, donors, community and corporate partners and our employees who have made Living Computers: Museum + Labs so special. 

[Neal G.]

Yes, I saw that email as well. Sad news.

I have not had the opportunity to visit; but hoped to do so, when I next have the chance to travel to that area of the country. They have been an exccellent resource for information and on-line access to such a wide variety of systems. I also hope that they are able to find a way to revive in the months ahead.

[oscarv]

John,

>> we will spend the months ahead reassessing if, how, and when to reopen.

That announcement sounds worrying to say the least!

I hope they will indeed manage to re-open in the shape they used to be; there's no other place anywhere with the skills needed to keep these systems alive.

Systems that may just seem to be fun nostalgia to us, but are in fact crucial artifacts. Of one of humanity's biggest-ever leaps forward, if you think a bit big-picture about history.

This is not unimportant stuff. Their collection is irreplaceable. I hope it is not at risk.

Kind regards,

Oscar

[Mike Ross]

Just spoken to one of my mates there. They're letting all staff go as of 1st July,

Paul Allen would NEVER have wanted this. If they do try to close the place permanently, we - the entire vintage computing community - need raise one hell of a stink and make a lot of noise. Try to get some 'names' to help out or speak against it. Woz likely would, maybe even Bill Gates.

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[John Kennedy]

People in work (MS) are sad too and of course asking and plotting and scheming, but there’s probably a heck of a lot of money at stake.

Terrible news for the staff.

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[Andrew Woodbridge]

I take my Comp Sci students there on a field trip. I teach at Olympia High a School, south of Seattle. I would love it if someone would be willing to come to my class as a guest speaker. We have a PiDP-11 (With a terminal) an AltairDuino for after we do microprocessors. Then we use Commodore BASIC for a couple weeks.

-Andrew

Sent from my iPhone

On May 27, 2020, at 6:04 PM, Mike Ross <tmfd...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[John Kennedy]

That sounds like a great class to take!

[Mike Kostersitz]

Maybe we should start a gofundme campaign and donate to them so they can keep going until phase 3, would be only a few months.

does anyone know how to find out what their operational cost are on a month over month basis? 

Mike

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 2:48:47 PM UTC-7, John Kennedy wrote:

Although they are currently closed to visitors, this email they just sent makes it sound like they are closing closing. The parent company, Vulcan Inc, it also closing the iconic Cinerama cinema in Seattle and a military museum too by the sounds of it. This is terrible news to all computer geeks. If you know this museum, you know how unique it is and what it's done to preserve important hardware. I hope something happens to ensure it survives.

-----

 

The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many cultural organizations, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events to achieve their mission. Given so much uncertainty, we have made the very difficult decision to suspend all operations of Living Computers: Museum + Labs for now.

Since we opened, our philosophy has been simple. To understand computing technology, you need to experience that technology firsthand. The current global situation is making it difficult for us to serve our mission and we will spend the months ahead reassessing if, how, and when to reopen.

In the coming weeks we’ll follow up with information about ticket, membership and donation refunds. If you have any immediate questions, please reach out to in...@livingcomputers.org or if you are a Living Computers: Museum + Labs member, members@livingcomputers.org.

[John Kennedy]

Paul Allen had more money than god. But something like this takes more than money - it takes passion from the owners. I know the people that worked and volunteered there had that passion, but the parent organization clearly doesn’t. I’m not sure trying to raise money for them would help.

[geneb]

On Fri, 29 May 2020, John Kennedy wrote:

> Paul Allen had more money than god. But something like this takes more
>

TIL god is poorer than Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. :D

g.

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[Don Smith]

I wonder if there will still be development effort on the Xerox Star and Alto emulators.

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