By Rena Youngblood
Executive director, Computer Museum of America
ROSWELL, Ga. | Computer Museum of America (CMoA) is located mere minutes away from Gwinnett in Roswell, and is an area attraction with a growing fan base.
Youngblood
With a mission to preserve the artifacts and stories from the digital age, while educating and inspiring visitors of all ages and backgrounds, CMoA works tirelessly to locate artifacts, create exhibits that tell the stories of technical innovation, and build relevant, relatable, and fun programming. CMoA opened on July 20, 2019, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, and is one of the Southeast’s most unique attractions.
The museum currently occupies 34,000 square feet with exhibits that include A Tribute to Apollo 11; Supercomputer: Vanquishing the Impossible; Timeline of Computing History; The BYTE Magazine Collection’ a fully restored and operational Enigma Machine; Computers in the Movies which opened in 2021; and a new temporary exhibit, Love Bytes, available to view through 2022. This exhibit explores the role of technology in the history of dating and romance. It includes stories from early matchmaking to dating apps and features technological artifacts that reinvented romance for the digital age.
Enigma machine
CMoA was founded by local collector and enthusiast, Lonnie Mimms. Why did he start the museum? He says: “To bring such a unique museum to the metro-Atlanta area, since technology is moving so fast that it’s being forgotten. Here at CMoA, we are capturing the stories and artifacts that have brought us to where we are today. In addition to the preservation of these artifacts, we are working to inspire, educate, and empower generations to come.”
There are many ways to experience Computer Museum of America this summer including:
- Summer camps will be held throughout June and July and are filling quickly. Your future engineer, designer, or entrepreneur will find subjects to challenge his or her skills and imagination.
- Tech Tales: this story time for young explorers is a great activity for youngsters ages 5-10. Free with admission, this story time is full of space, drones, STEM s/heroes, and creative problem-solving. These are just a few of the topics covered in this seven-week series. After the story, children will use their imaginations to create something to take home.
- Bytes and Brews is an after-hours event for people 21+ and if you are interested in space, and Apollo history in particular, make plans to attend the Friday, June 24th event. CMoA is set to unveil an Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) and Display Keyboard (DSKY). These rare early navigational computers were instrumental in getting man to the moon and back. It is estimated there are fewer than two dozen AGCs remaining in museum and private collections.
In addition to world-class exhibits, CMoA has played host to events ranging from birthday parties and board meetings to fundraising events, mitzvahs, school field trips, and corporate gatherings inside the museum and in event spaces.
CMoA is open on Fridays from noon until 5 p.m. -and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. It is located at 5000 Commerce Parkway in Roswell, at the intersection of Holcomb Bridge Road and Georgia Highway 9. For more information visit computermuseumofamerica.org.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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