Living Computers: Museum + Labs (LCM+L) has announced
the addition of Apple’s first-ever product, the Apple I computer. This legendary machine will join a new, interactive exhibit that includes ten useable computers charting Apple’s growth from a garage start-up into a global leader in computer technology.
The Apple exhibit at the LCM+L will host three Apple I machines with one being the only operable machine in the world and the original demo model displayed on Steve Jobs’ desk. Of the approximately 200 Apple I computers produced, fewer than 70 remain. All of them were handmade by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as the first Apple product.
By using the Apple I, visitors will be able to experience how the use of a TV screen and a keyboard differs from the switches and lights used for input and output on the previous personal computers, aligning with Living Computers: Museum + Labs and Paul G. Allen’s mission to inspire innovation by providing hands-on access to early computer technology.
The exhibit shows the early, intertwined history of Paul G. Allen, Microsoft and Apple, as Microsoft provided software titles for early Apple computers which helped accelerate Apple’s growth by allowing more software to run on their Apple II computers.
Additional machines in the collection include the Sanyo MBC-550, Armstrad PC1512, Microsoft “Green-Eyed” Mouse, Apple III and Power Mac G4, along with:
- Microsoft SoftCard: Introduced in 1980, Microsoft’s first hardware product was the SoftCard which was the company’s best-selling product in 1980.
- NeXTcube: Introduced in 1990, NeXTcube was a technologically advanced computer for universities and professionals in design and scientific fields. It included a dictionary, thesaurus, and the complete works of William Shakespeare, making it an early example of searchable electronic books.
The Apple exhibit opens to the public on Friday, April 14.
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To learn more about the Living Computers: Museum + Labs and to sign up to receive updates, please visit: www.livingcomputers.org
About the Living Computers: Museum + Labs
Living Computers: Museum + Labs was founded by Paul G. Allen in 2012 to honor the history of computing and provide access to computer technology. Operating in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, Living Computers: Museum + Labs offers educational opportunities and hosts the world’s largest collection of fully restored—and usable—computer technology from the 1960s to the present. For more information, please visit www.livingcomputers.org.
Living Computers: Museum + Labs is a 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation supported by Vulcan Inc.
