From slide rules to Douglas Hartree's differential analyser and Ferranti's early computers, these objects trace the development of calculating and computing technology.
Computing & Data Processing
1871
Portion of the mill of the Analytical Engine with printing mechanism, designed by Charles Babbage and under construction at the time of his death, London, 1834-1871.
c. 1832
Portion of Charles Babbage's calculating machine (Difference Engine No.1), built by Joseph Clement, London, 1832.
1949
Phillips Economics Analog Computer, devised by Bill Phillips at the London School of Economics, 1949 known as MONIAC [Monetary National Income Analogue Computer]
1976-1979
Personal Computer, model Apple I, devised by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne, and made by Apple Inc, United States, 1976-1979.
1997
IBM ThinkPad 365e laptop computer, with Russian Cyrillic alphabet stickers on the keyboard keys, by IBM, Taiwan, 1997. This laptop computer was used in Helsinki, Finland.
1991
Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849, excludes printing mechanism. Engine built by Science Museum, completed June 1991.
1998
Replica of the 'Baby' or SSEM computer, built by the Computer Conservation Society in 1998. The original 'Baby' was the world's first stored-program computer and ran its first program on 21 June 1948.
1952-1953
Elliott/NRDC 401 Computer MkI, c.1953
Main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, made at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, England, and some of the valves by Osram, Germany, 1949. The construction of the (ACE) pilot model was based on designs by Alan Turing.
1965
Digital Equipment Corporation PDP - 8 minicomputer serial no.857, 1965
2006
Nintendo DS lite, model number USG-001, 2006, with original case.
1985
Gold plated BBC Micro computer with two 1-megabyte disc drives and keyboard, made by Acorn Computers Limited, Cambridge, England,1985. From 'The Micro User' competition.
1968-1987
BESM-6 Supercomputer: Registers Cabinet type BRUS with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Control Unit type UU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Arithmetic Unit type AU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Peripheral Control Cabinet, type UVU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; possibly manufactured by Moscow Calculating Analytical Plant Machines, Russia, 1968-1987
1983
Green screen monochrome monitor Model 5151-02, made by IBM USA, Taiwan, 1983. Serial number 5500156
2001
Nintendo Game Boy Advance, model number AGB-001.
1982-1990
GRiD Compass laptop computer manufactured by the GRiD Systems Corporation, Fremont, California, United States, 1982-1990
1947-2003
Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.
1997-2002
Nokia Mediamaster television set top box for use with ONdigital prepaid digital television service, made by Nokia, Sweden, 1997-2002
Nintendo Game Boy Color, model number CGB-001.
1993
Apple Newton MessagePad and stylus, manufactured by Sharp for Apple, Japan, 1993
1983-1991
Keyboard amd mouse for Apple Lisa computer, Apple, United States, 1983-1991. Keyboard model no.A6MB101, serial no. 1007252
1996
Pilot 5000 electronic organiser, made by Palm Inc (subsidiary of US Robotics Corps), Singapore, 1996.
1988-1990
Next computer and accessories, manufactured by NeXT, c. 1989. Serial No ABS191980.
1920-1930
Hollerith horizontal electrical sorting machine, no.7407, 45 column, invented by Herman Hollerith, and made by British Tabulating Machine Company Limited, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England, 1920-1930
1994
Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, made by Cisco Systems, Inc., United States, 1994. Serial number: 62007011. London Internet Exchange
c.1987
IBM 4731 model BH2 Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) (supported by Woolwich Building Society)
1999-2001
'Message Cam' mobile phone accessory with connector cable to enable mobile internet access using WAP and digital photo sharing, manufactured by Casio, Japan, 1999-2001. Sold for use with Siemens C35i mobile phone.
1979
NorthStar Horizon computer, made by North Star Computers, Berkeley, California, United States, 1979.
Intel 386 processor, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1985
1966-1970
Control unit for Honeywell DDP 516 computer, designed by the Computer Control Company Inc and manufactured by Honeywell Computer Control Division, United States, 1966-1970
1998-2002
ON Digital set top box decoder card, used with digital terrestrial television (DTT) system, manufactured by ONDigital, 1998-2002
Alcatel Minitel communications terminal, made by Alcatel Business Systems, France, 1983. Communications terminal distributed by the French Telecom system as part of their attempt at an internet, 1983.
Lotus 123 spreadsheet software for use with GRiD Compass laptop computer, 1982-1990
1987
Factory-sealed version of Apple's Hypercard software, made by Apple Inc, United States, 1985
IBM model 5150 System Unit with integral twin 5 1/4 inch disk drives, made by IBM, Greenock, Scotland, 1983. 64K memory, single-sided double density 5 1/4 40 tpi 106K drives
1982-1984
BBC model B microcomputer, designed by Acorn Computers Limited and manufactured by ASTEC Components Limited, British, 1982-1984. Serial number 1,000,000
1995
BT Voyager 2000 interactive TV system, i-TV box used in Video on Demand (VOD) and interactive TV trials in Colchester, made by Apple, assembled in Ireland, 1995
c. 1964
Piece from the London University Computing Service Atlas computer, engineer's console, about 1964
Apple Inc. iMac G3 'Bondi Blue' personal computer, manufactured by Apple Inc., probably United States, 1998. Serial Number CK3441WBEUL.
1980-1990
Apple II monitor A2M2010P
1981-1985
ZX81 microcomputer, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, British, 1981
1986
'Community' laserdisc, used as part of the BBC Domesday system, made by BBC Enterprises Limited, England, 1986.
1951
Logic door from a Ferranti Mark I computer with 3 transformers and 42 valves in place, manufactured by Ferranti Limited, Moston, Manchester, England, 1951.
Apple Newton eMate 300 laptop, made by Apple Inc, 1997.
Psion Series 3 personal organiser, made by Psion, British, 1991. Serial number EBA 111941
1946-1958
Main portion of short mercury delay tube from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, made at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England, 1946-1958.
2007-2010
Sony PlayStation 3, manufactured by Sony, China, 2007-2010
1977-1982
Altair 8800b Working System, made by Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS), United States, 1977-1982.
BBC Microcomputer Model B (Serial Number: 50557868) by Acorn computers, UK, 1986
1943-1945
Receiver unit from the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), designed by John Mauchly and J Presper Eckert, made at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, United States 1943-1945
