Living Computers: Museum + Labs is partnering with RE-PC to preserve the planet, and we need your help! Join us from Saturday, April 21 through Saturday, April 28 as we celebrate Earth Day and Preservation Week with an E-Waste Recycling Drive. Visit Living Computers anytime during museum hours to drop-off select electronics under 25lbs. Got something bigger? No problem! Just drive around the corner to RE-PC who accepts almost any item related to computers or electronics (fee applies to some items). 

ITEMS WE ACCEPT*

• Batteries (Lithium, Nickel, Cell Phone, Laptop)
• Cell Phones and Accessories
• Chargers & AC Adapters
• Circuit Boards/Mother Boards 
• Computers Accessories, Keyboards & Mice
• Laptop Computers, Netbooks, Tablets
• Cables and Connectors 
• Other Small Peripherals

*Must be UNDER 25lbs and be able to fit in airplane carry-on bag (under 18” x 18” x 2”) Large quantities, excessive weight, or items that are difficult to move will be refused.

*Have historical, vintage, or retro technology you'd like to donate to the museum? Visit the Living Computers donation page here to fill out our contribution form: https://bit.ly/2HLV5hL

*Have items to donate that are OVER 25lbs or bigger than a carry-on? Hop over to RE-PC on 6th Ave & Massachusetts! RE-PC accepts almost any item related to computers or electronics (fee applies to some items). For details, contact them at repc@repc.com or (206)-623-9151. http://www.repc.com/
 

Over the last few decades, the industry standard for preservation has been digitization. The hope was that digitizing data and images were the best way to safeguard materials for long-term storage and efficient retrieval. While many benefits remain, we also know now that digital storage can be precarious and unreliable. How does this compare to the inevitable physical degradation of objects? And at the end of the day, how do you determine which method has the best chance of keeping your collection safer for longer?

Join us at Living Computers as we deconstruct each side of this debate and discover insider tips on how museums and archival institutions are solving this evolving challenge. From exclusive speakers to interactive demos, activities, & more, we’re taking you through the discussion with behind-the-scenes access and hands-on experiences. 

Thursday:

• Kick-Off Keynote Presentation – Jason Scott, Internet Archive (FREE, Separate Registration)
• Happy Hour with Appetizers & Drinks (21+)

Friday

• Considering Strategies for Time-Based Media – Elizabeth Brown & Cooper Whitlow (Seattle Art Museum)
• Ephemeral & Fragile: Keeping Photos Meaningful – Meaghan Kahlo (Ephemera Photo Organizing)
• Before Desktop Publishing: The Democratization of Typesetting – Briar Levit (PSU, Director of Graphic Means)

Saturday

• Preserving Vintage Computers & Software – Cynde Moya (Living Computers: Museum + Labs)
• Physical Media in the Digital Age – Rachel Price (MIPoPs), Kate Barr & Woods Fairbanks (Scarecrow Video)
• Enigma Machine Demonstration – Lath Carlson (Living Computers: Museum + Labs)
• H-100 Computer System Cart Demo – Jeff Jones (Helix Microsystems)
• Paper Enigma Cart Activity – Connie Wohlford (University of Washington)
• Rapid Simple Circuits Cart Demo – Nina Arens (Living Computers: Museum + Labs)

All Days

• Image Scanning with Metadata (Morning + Afternoon Sessions)
• E-Waste Recycling Drive (Saturday, April 21 – Saturday, April 28)
• Vendor Booths + Tables in the Lounge
• Full Museum Access

Register Here
Included with Museum Admission ($16/day) | Free for Members*
*Tickets available at the door without fees

Doors 5:30 | Speaker 7pm

We’re launching PreserveIT! 2018 with a happy hour and an exclusive keynote presentation by Jason Scott, free-range archivist & software curator at the Internet Archive. Join us for light appetizers and drinks (for those 21+ only) before we welcome our keynote presenter to the floor for “The Long Goodbye.”

The advertising of digital archives have always thrown around words like "forever", "saved" and "preserved", with very little to back up that claim. Living in the realm of the digital world best described as "The Trash Compactor from Star Wars", Jason Scott talks about his work with the Internet Archive (the creators of the Wayback Machine) in dealing with the petabytes of gathered digital history and what we may learn from dealing with these stacks of history.

Don’t miss the legend of internet history and website preservation at Seattle’s computer museum! And make sure to check out the other speakers and activities happening at PreserveIT! 2018: Analog vs. Digital.

Register Here
All Ages | FREE

Learn the basics of keyboard electronics, microcontrollers, and soldering in this collaborative workshop with C-Keys, Seattle's number one community for keyboard enthusiasts! Leave the workshop with your own full-size number pad with clear acrylic case.

This take-home workshop is suitable for visitors 12+ years and up. All supplies and tools provided. All participants must sign a waiver in order to use soldering irons.

Register here
$76 | $60 for Members

We're hosting another Classic Movie Night series! Join us for a look at the wacky world of technology in 80s films as we close out with Explorers (1985). 

A boy obsessed with 50s sci-fi movies has a recurring dream about a blueprint and – with the help of some new friends – follows the outline and builds himself a spaceship. 

Register here
​Free with First Thursday Admission

Grab your vests - we’ve made a day just for scouts! Come in, geek out, & claim your special Living Computers scout badge anytime on Saturday, May 5.
 
Plus, find a slew of activities & special workshops for troops in our Labs – from soldering to robots to circuits (available options listed on the back.) Advance registration is required for workshops; contact us at labs@livingcomputers.org for details.

Admission: $16 per Scout | Free for Members
Admission + Workshop: $22 per Scout | $6 for Members

Bringing the Whole Troop? – For every group of 20 scouts, we’ll waive admission for up to 4 Adult Chaperones. LCM+L requires an adult-to-child ratio of 1:5 for children under 10 years, and 1:8 for children ages 11-17 years. All chaperones must be 18 years or older.

Available Workshop Options can be found on the Scout Day page!

Learn the basics of keyboard electronics, microcontrollers, and soldering in this collaborative workshop with C-Keys, Seattle's number one community for keyboard enthusiasts! Leave the workshop with your own full-size number pad with clear acrylic case.

This take-home workshop is suitable for visitors 12+ years and up. All supplies and tools provided. All participants must sign a waiver in order to use soldering irons.

Register here
$76 | $60 for Members

Geek out together during Homeschool Days at Living Computers! Get hands-on with our exhibits, meet other families, and enjoy our world-famous vintage computer collection all in a day especially designed for homeschool students.

Each Homeschool Day at Living Computers features opportunities for guided tours and hands-on Lab activities as well as all-day access to our exhibits and galleries.

For Details & to register, visit our Homeschool Day page.