National Science and Engineering week

Retro communications workshops at the Museum of Computing.

News by GamesIndustry International Contributor

Published on March 7, 2011

To tie in with this year's theme of 'Communications', the museum is taking a step back in time to explore communication methods of the past in its 'Retro Communications Workshops'. Visitors will be able to build and try tin-can telephones, see how far they can make them work and if they can be used around corners! Another activity will be building Morse Code keys from Lego and use these to transmit messages across the museum. On the afternoon of the 12th we will be joined by an ex Special Forces Signaller who will be giving expert lessons in morse code. There will be flag waving as we try our hand at semaphore and secret messages will be passed in our 'codes and ciphers' section where there will also be a competition to decrypt a secret message. Finally we are hoping to have a 1960's teletype up and running, the predecessor of the keyboard and monitor that we all use today. Museum curator Simon Webb said 'Communication is so important to us all today, we all use computers and mobile phone every day to keep in touch. It's going to be great fun to explore how it used to be'

The workshops will run from 10:00 to 16:00, standard museum admission charges apply.

For more details visit the Museum of Computing website www.museumofcomputing.org.uk or follow our Facebook and Twitter links.

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About the Museum of Computing

The Museum of Computing was the first dedicated computer museum in the UK, opening in 2003. It is a non-for-profit Company limited by guarantee and is run entirely by volunteers. The museum has a collection of over 3000 objects related to the history of computing and holds regular exhibitions and events.

· The museum is in Swindon town centre at 6-7 Theatre Square, Swindon SN1 1QN, at the top of Regent Street close to the new Central Library.

· Opening times are: Saturdays from 9.30am to 5pm and Mondays from 10am to 4pm.

· There is a classroom for talks, PC clinics, gaming events, childrens computer club, adult computer classes and school visits.

· Admission fees are: £5.00 for a family ticket, £2 for adults, £1.50 for Students and Concessions, children age 6-15 yrs cost £1, under 5's go free. All children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. We welcome school parties and private groups by appointment.

The museum is sponsored by the following organisations:

• Clark Holt Commercial Solicitors ( www.clarkholt.com)

• Intel UK ( www.intel.com)

• Silent-G Design ( www.silent-g.co.uk)

• Alpha Galileo ( www.alphagalileo.org)

• Shepherd Consulting ( http://www.shepherdconsulting.co.uk/)

• Dennis's Removals and Storage ( www.dennissremovals.co.uk)

The museum is supported by the following organisations:

• Wiltshire Branch of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT ( www.@wiltshirebcs.org)

For further details, hi-res photos, screen grabs or interviews contact:

Magdalena Szalachowska

Press Officer