The Computer Museum Society (CMS) proposes establishing the CCM – The First Computer Museum of India in Chennai. The museum will have a collection of computing artifacts acquired from around the world, computer hardware, software, documentation, graphics and manuscripts, photographs, oral histories, and moving images. The museum will bring computer history to life through interesting tales woven around the objects and exhibits, a dynamic website, on-site tours, exhibition galleries, and temporary traveling exhibitions.
Need for a Computer Museum in India
More than 70 computer museums are functioning in 17 countries. The US alone has more than 20 computer museums. The Indian economy is the world’s sixth-largest by nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power parity. There are 4.2 Million+ computer professionals and 6300+ Engineering colleges in India. However, there are no computer museums!
Several studies have shown that science centers/museums have numerous benefits to individuals and communities. According to Falk and Needham [1], “Nearly all adults (87%) who indicated that their children had visited the Science Center reported that the visit increased their children’s science or technology understanding”, and “Most adult respondents (79%) also believed that visiting the Science Center increased their child’s curiosity about science or technology”.
The computer museum will kindle the curiosity of young minds and improve their understanding, resulting in innovation. India is the seventh-largest country by area and the second-most populous country that does not have a computer museum to date. Therefore CMS desires to promote establishing a chain of computer museums in our country to reduce the digital divide.
Our Inspirations
The world’s largest computer museum is “The Computer History Museum‟ [2], Mountain View, USA. It is a dedicated computer museum dealing with the history of computing, communication, artificial intelligence, and robotics.
Inspired by the premier computer museums around the world, the CCM will have a variety of exhibits and activities for people of all ages and professions, with a local flair. Thematic exhibition galleries on various facets of computer and digital technology, Full dome projection space, Large exhibits and demonstrations, Space for classical experiments, Artefacts display, Real-time laboratories, AR/VR and simulator experiences, Temporary Exhibition space, Innovation Hub (Maker Space), Outdoor Science Park, Exhibit Development Laboratory, Outreach activities, etc. will form the major portion of the museum.
Objectives
To bring computing technology closer to the general public, professionals, and students, the Computer Museum Society (CMS) has been formed in Chennai by a team of academicians & IT professionals. The CMS aims to establish the first computer museum in India in Chennai – ‘The CCM.’ It proposes to collaborate with the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Government of India, and other interested partners from Industries, Educational Institutions, NGOs, and eminent professionals to support the Computer Museum.
The major objectives of the CCM include the following:
- To kindle the imagination of young students and encourage and motivate under-represented groups, especially girls and people with special needs to pursue computer science and related fields and choose them as a career option.
- To study, analyze and promote software and hardware development through open source and creative common methodologies and publish the software and the developed contents for larger accessibility and unrestricted use.
- To foster creativity and innovation by having a maker space that will showcase local inventions, provide access to tools for making and become an innovation hub for researchers and entrepreneurs.
- To create a digital library of content and other cultural artifacts in the digital form related to India and Indian languages and to provide free online access to the public wherever possible.