Living Computers: Museum + Labs

Living Computers: Museum + Labs was a computer museum in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood, founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The institution, which officially opened in 2012, showcased an extensive collection of historic computers, including supercomputers, mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers. One special feature of the museum was that visitors could not only look at these machines but actually use them. Over Telnet connections or on site, users could experience time-sharing systems and user interfaces from manufacturers such as IBM, DEC, and Xerox. Later, the museum expanded its offerings with interactive stations on modern technologies such as robotics, the Internet of Things, and self-driving cars, in order to spark curiosity about current developments.

In addition to the exhibition, the museum offered educational programs in specialized classrooms and labs. The collection consisted of Allen's personal pieces as well as public donations, and also served as a backdrop for TV series such as "Mad Men" and "Halt and Catch Fire." In February 2020, the museum had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained permanently closed afterward. Part of the collection was sold at auction in 2024, while the rest was divided between two other museums in Washington and Georgia.