The Micro Museum at Ramsgate in Kent, UK
Published: Monday, 26th August 2019
It has been an absolutely baking hot bank holiday weekend here in the South-East of England, so what better way to spend one of the finest days of the year than by visiting the region’s only museum of computing and videogaming history, The Micro Museum?
I’ve been meaning to pay a visit here for some time but circumstances always seemed to get in the way. Finally, though, the planets aligned and we were able to head to the coast for some sun, sand, and sightseeing with a visit to the second-to-last weekend of the Museum’s Games Gallery exhibition at the top of our list.
I was very pleased to see a selection of Apple machines featured in the well-presented main museum, with a very pristine Macintosh SE/30 and PowerMac G4 displayed in the “operational” section, and a bunch of other fine examples of Cupertino heritage in the main display behind the plexiglass.
There were also some Apple laptops on display amongst the broad array of vintage computer history, which included BBC machines, Commodores, Sinclairs, Acorns, and even Furbies!
The museum is owned and run by husband-and-wife team Mike and Carol Deer, computer enthusiasts and collectors for over four decades. Clearly a labour of love, their museum is a testament to the eternal magic of 8, 16, and 32 bit computing and an absolute celebration of the impact that microcomputing has had on our culture, with a particular emphasis on British computing and videogaming history.
A key element of the Museum’s offering is the soon-to-end Games Gallery. This is a live and interactive exhibition hosted in the building next door, featuring playable videogame systems from the Binatone TV Master through to the Sega Saturn, Sony Playstation, Nintendo 64, and much more.
Due to costs and logistics, the Deers are winding the Games Gallery down from the end of this month, rolling its features back into the main museum. It’s a bit of a shame to consider that this neat little gaming venue will cease to exist after next weekend (31st August is its last day) but totally understandable against a backdrop of uncertain national economics and steep local expenses. I’m positive, however, that the Museum will evolve to adjust to these changes and will find a new way to offer a hands-on experience for visitors. Follow them on Facebook to keep an eye on their latest news.
So, if you’re anywhere near Kent next weekend, do yourself a favour and add The Micro Museum to your itinerary to get stuck into the Games Gallery before it closes. You’ll also be able to take in the main museum collection and chat to the Deers about their wonderful hobby. Check out their website for more details.
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Great article. Thanks for the plug.
The G4 was a donation from me.