This centre is a must if you are going to Cambridge and a fan of technology.There were old computers and old gaming consoles (which you could use and try out). At the entrance, there is a small souvenir stall where you could buy something as a memory.Yes, they do have toilets and easy parking, and tiny snack shop.One cool thing was that at the end there was a playstation vr set that you could play with (for a whole level) for 2.The only problem is that the main room is really cold, but that didn't really bother me.
This museum has a wide collection of old computers that are functioning and usable. This is no doubt a nostalgic joy for those who are familiar with these machines.I would say however that the displays lack context and explanation. Who were these computers aimed at? What makes one different from another? What did the rest of the market look like when this one was released? There were many isolated facts but not much story.As examples:There were a few notes dotted around about Bill Gates and Paul Allen's programming language BASIC. This could've made a whole display, explaining Bill Gates's background, the landscape at the time that meant BASIC was useful, Gates' open letter about pirated software, and where BASIC went from there.There was a poster with a tagline 'Where did all the women go?' which would've been an interesting topic to be explored in a display but there was only 2 of these posters (that I could find) and neither attempted to answer the question, they just mentioned prominent female computer scientists.Talked about the invention of the computer mouse a few times but never really about the evolution of the mouse, why it came to be, when 'right click' became a thing, when the trackpad was invented. I think this could've been strung together to be a more engaging story.I also feel that it could've dug into a few things in more detail. There was a display about the internet ('The Connected World') that didn't explain exactly what the difference between 'the internet' and the 'World Wide Web' is. Overall, would recommend for those who miss their old computers or perhaps those with kids (there are some fun displays and lots of arcade games that will entertain). Personally, I was hoping for something more informative and engaging.
Worth a visit - fairly large collection of retro home computing and video game consoles with an original arcade space Invaders and centipede. Great nostalgia for a teenager of the 80s such as me. Bit shocking to realise that the Apple Mac I did my degree thesis on in 91 is now considered a museum piece! They have a Sinclair c5 'car' as well, and in fact most of what Sinclair produced alongside most of the big name early home machines.
As someone very interested in computers and their history, this place is amazing. Not only do they have a wide selection of old and rare systems on display, the majority of them are fully operational and set up for anyone to use them. I have never found a museum more hands-on. There are a few reviews on here stating it doesn't deserve 5 stars and although I disagree, I understand why they say it. It's very much a museum for retro enthusiasts, and to someone with no interest in old computers it might seem pointless. But for anyone interested in these pieces of computing history, it is a treasure trove. The only downside I could see is the limited parking, though I did go when they had a meeting of Acorn computer enthusiasts on site, so that might be why I had to park on next door's car park.
Excellent day there today - went to the Game On talk and the kids (and me to be honest!) played some classic computer games. Lots of interesting items from the last 4 decades and great staff
The Centre for Computing History is a UK Museum based in Cambridge, East of England. The Centre for Computing History is located at Rene Court, Coldham's Rd, Cambridge CB1 3EW, UK.
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