seattletimes.com
Paul Allen's Computer Museum for Sale
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The Living Computers: Museum + Labs in Seattle, founded by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will permanently close its doors as the Allen estate prepares to auction off the museum's extensive collection of rare vintage computers and artifacts.
Museum Closure Announcement
pcworld.com
The Living Computers Museum + Labs, which opened to the public in 2012, confirmed its permanent closure more than four years after shutting down near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The museum's website and social media accounts were taken offline on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The closure announcement comes as the estate of Paul Allen, who passed away in 2018, continues to manage and wind down his vast array of holdings, including the Cinerama movie theater, the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, and the superyacht Octopus.
2 sources
Christie's Auction Details
mainlymuseums.com
Christie's will host an auction titled "Gen One: Innovations from the Paul G. Allen Collection" later this year, featuring over 150 items from Allen's personal collection of computer artifacts, many of which were displayed at the Living Computers Museum. The auction will be divided into three parts:
- "Firsts: The History of Computing," an online sale closing Sept. 12, featuring a DEC PDP-10: KI-10 computer that Allen and Bill Gates used before founding Microsoft, estimated to fetch $30,000 to $50,000.
- "Pushing Boundaries: Ingenuity," a live auction on Sept. 10, showcasing scientific and technological achievements, including a 1939 signed letter from Albert Einstein to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, estimated at $4-6 million.
- "Over the Horizon: Art of the Future," an online auction closing Sept. 12, devoted to interplanetary travel art, with a highlight being Chelsey Bonestell's "Saturn as Seen from Titan," circa 1952, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.
Proceeds from the sale of these items will go to charitable causes, in keeping with Allen's wishes.
2 sources
Significant Auction Items
hewlettpackardhistor...
The auction will feature several notable items from Allen's collection, including a computer that he helped restore and on which he worked – a DEC PDP-10: KI-10 built in 1971. This machine, the first computer used by both Allen and Bill Gates prior to founding Microsoft, is estimated to fetch between $30,000 and $50,000. Another highlight is Chelsey Bonestell's "Saturn as Seen from Titan," a circa 1952 artwork devoted to interplanetary travel, which is expected to sell for $30,000 to $50,000. Christie's will share more details about the computers and related items from Allen's collection being auctioned off later this summer.
2 sources
Paul Allen's Legacy
cnbc.com
The closure of the Living Computers Museum + Labs marks the end of another chapter in Paul Allen's extensive and celebrated legacy in Seattle. While the facility served as a showcase for his unique collection, it also provided historical context, educational opportunities, and immersive experiences around technology. Leonard Garfield, executive director of Seattle's Museum of History and Industry, emphasized the museum's importance as a resource that went beyond simply sharing the story of the tech industry or celebrating the legacy of Microsoft and its leaders. The hope is that some pieces from Allen's collection will remain in the Seattle area, preserving a part of his legacy and the region's tech history.
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Related
What other items from Paul Allen's collection are being auctioned
How did the Living Computers Museum contribute to the preservation of vintage computing technology
What were some of the unique interactive displays at the Living Computers Museum
How did Paul Allen's legacy impact the tech industry beyond Microsoft
What are the plans for the proceeds from the auction of Paul Allen's collection
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