Paul Allen opens a virtual tour for his computer museum: first publish on 12/3/2015

In October 2012 Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen opened up a hands-on museum where people can learn about thehistory of computers. For the 3+ years since then the only way to get the full experience of touring the museum you had to go to Seattle. That until yesterday, December 2, when a virtual tour went online for the rest of us. Now we can all walk through and see the changes in computer technology over the 50 years.

When you start the virtual tour you will be able to use the arrow keys or your mouse to navigate your way through the Living Computer Museum. As you travel along you will see such exhibits as the DPD-7 mainframe made by Digital Equipment Corporation, the MITS Altair 8800, the Apple IIE, Atari pong, and much more. As you go farther along the tour you will see a classroom setting where you can get some hands-on experience and bookshelves where you will find old manuals and software.

The one drawback from taking the virtual tour is that you will not be able to touch and run all of these working computers or ask the guides questions. To get that part of the experience you will actually have to travel to the museum located 2245 first avenue in Seattle. If a trip to the museum is in your near future you should know the hours are 10 am-5 pm on Tuesday-Sunday and 10 am-8 pm on the first Thursday of the month. The prices for the museum are $6 for adults; $4 for children 6-17. active military, and seniors 62+; and children 5 and under are free.