Reformatt Logo
Reformatt Show Search Button

Silicon Valley: Let's Get Nerdy!

Silicon Valley: Let's Get Nerdy!

Published on Jun. 7, 2016 by

The Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley offers a journey through time from the early beginnings of computing until the advanced future including Google Car, IBM punchcard systems and the hilarious $10,000 recipe computer.

Tips & Advice
  • What: Computer History Museum 
  • Where: 1401 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043 [Map]
  • When: 10am to 5pm (Monday & Tuesday closed)
  • Price: $15
  • Why: Learn everything about the history of computers
  • Notes: Join the daily tours at the museum
  • Similar: Miraikan Technology Museum in Tokyo

computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United StatesSPACE INVADERS at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesgoogle car computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesevolution of programming languages at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United States

My amazing friends Serge & Nicole took time out of their day to take me to the Computer History Museum which was a 45 minute drive from downtown Oakland.

homebrew computer club at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesadmission ticket at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United StatesIBM 5 billion dollar bet computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United States

The museum is located in Mountain View, California with a $15 admission fee but well worth it. Enjoy oldies like the giant calculators, massive storage devices, evolution of programming languages and dishwashing robots.

computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley

The $10,000 recipe computer must have been the most hilarious piece of equipment at the museum created by Honeywell and was called the Honeywell 316. Reading or entering these recipes would have been nearly impossible for the average housewife or cook, since the user interface required the user to complete a two-week course just to learn how to program the device, using only toggle-switch input and binary light output.

moore's law at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesgaming consoles at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United StatesHALO at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statestesla charging stations at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescrazy keyboard at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United States

Other items worth mentioning were the ancient joysticks, ridiculous attempts at keyboard concepts, office war of Apple2 vs IBM but above all the massive TESLA charging bay outside of the museum.

INTEL MUSEUM at santa clara in Mountain View, California, United StatesINTEL MUSEUM at santa clara

My favorite item at the museum was the Google Car, I couldn't believe how incredibly detailed the driving software is (see video).

donkey kong pocket at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesserge & nicole at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United StatesINTEL MUSEUM at santa clara in Mountain View, California, United StatesINTEL MUSEUM at santa clara in Mountain View, California, United StatesINTEL MUSEUM at santa clara in Mountain View, California, United Stateskorean food in San Jose in Mountain View, California, United Statesmatt & serge at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United States

Afterwards we drove to the Intel Museum, the supreme leader of consumer processors, where I was blown away by the microscopic scale on which transistors are created these days.

enjoying Korean food with my friends Serge & Nicole in San Jose in Mountain View, California, United Statesenjoying Korean food with my friends Serge & Nicole in San Jose

We ended this incredible day at a delicious Korean restaurant in Santa Clara where I had the Bibimbop.

huge calculators at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statesunimatic at computer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United Statescomputer history museum in silicon valley in Mountain View, California, United States

Comments