Museum of Computing at Swindon
Small hands-on museum in central Swindon with early computers, games consoles and calculators that visitors can try.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of Computing at Swindon collects early computers, games and calculators, and it describes itself as the first physical museum of its kind in the United Kingdom. Many of the displays are hands-on, so visitors can use computers and games machines as they were in the past, from home and business computers to video games.
The first suggestion for a computer museum in Swindon came from the solicitor Jeremy Holt in 1989, and local computer companies encouraged the idea over the following decade. Serious progress began in January 2000 with a steering committee and a company limited by guarantee. The plan was for the museum to share the Oakfield campus of the University of Bath; when the university left Swindon, the collection went into storage.
Since 2009 the museum has been at Theatre Square in the town centre, between the library and the Wyvern Theatre. Simon Webb, an enthusiast for vintage computers of the 1970s and 1980s, was its curator from 2003 to 2022. The museum is run by volunteers and also takes part in retro-computing events and welcomes school visits.
Highlights
- Hands-on early computers and games consoles
- Home, business and gaming machines from the 1960s onwards
- Retro gaming evenings and events
- First museum of its kind in the UK
Permanent exhibition
- Computers, games and calculators – Hands-on displays of early computers, video games and calculators, mostly from the 1970s and 1980s onwards.
- Founded
- 2003
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £5Students and visitors aged 60 and over |
| Children & teens | £4free up to age 4 · Child ticket for ages 5 to 16; under 5s are free. |
| Seniors | £5Aged 60 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · An essential carer accompanying a paying visitor with a disability is free. |
| Students & apprentices | £5 |
| Families | £17For 2 adults and up to 2 children. |
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: not available
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance and gallery have wheelchair access. The museum has no public toilets; the nearest are in the Central Library, about a minute away.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £17 · For 2 adults and up to 2 children. |
- Hands-on stations
The museum calls itself family friendly, many displays are hands-on, and there is a family ticket.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Regent Circus
The museum is about a 14-minute walk from Swindon railway station. Many local buses stop beside the museum at Regent Circus, and the main stops for Swindon's Bus Company on Fleming Way are about five minutes away, next to the bus station where most Stagecoach and all National Express buses stop.
By car
Parking available
Several car parks are close by; charges are listed on the Swindon Borough Council website.
The museum is at 6-7 Theatre Square, between the library and the Wyvern Theatre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
There is no café and no public toilets. Visitors who leave to use the toilets in the Central Library are re-admitted at no extra charge if they tell the desk volunteers.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | School visits are welcome. |
