The HomeComputerMuseum is founded in 2018 after its initial plan in 2016. The idea of an interactive computer museum while being a social company and fully independent of subsidy. In 2020, right after a move to a bigger and more permanent location, the unsubsidized museum had to deal with corona. Against all odds, the museum survived and even grew faster than ever before, becoming world's largest museum on social media and collaborating with museums all over the world. This all with a social impact by helping people with a distance to the labor market. The museum has an unique collection which can not be found anywhere else and it only keeps on growing in impact. Currently (early 2022) being the computer heritage expert for the Dutch government.
The HomeComputerMuseum opened its door on March 17, 2018 and went nearly bankrupt by the end of 2018. But we pulled through and from the beginning of 2019, we managed to turn it around. Starting with a collection of roughly 35 computers, 4 active board members, 3 volunteers and an empty building without electricity we built the museum. By the end of 2021 we have over 500 computers in the active museum and another +/- 2500 computers in storage. 1500 CD-i titles, 2203 boxed PC games, over 4000 unique software titles and over 3000 manuals. Open 7 days a week in a 1090m2 location in the city center of Helmond with 40 volunteers and 6 board members. All without big sponsors and no subsidy we are researching the history, sharing the history, recreating the history by allowing everyone to use the old computers. From the only working Aesthedes2 (which is repaired by in-house technicians) to the computer used for the movie Titanic. We do digital heritage (read old media) and offer repairs to both new and old computers. We created a functioning business model that is world renowned and ready for anything to come and we love to share what we went through and why we are considered as an essential part of the Dutch heritage.. all in less than 4 years.
