Explore the National Museum of Computing

From intercept to decrypt during World War II

The Tunny Gallery, along with the Colossus Gallery, shows the entire World War II code-breaking process of the Lorenz-encrypted messages (Tunny) from signal intercept at the Knockholt receiving station in Kent to the production of the final decrypts on Tunny machines in Bletchley Park.

Mainframes arrived in the 1950s. They are still with us!

Since the advent of the PC, the imminent demise of "big iron" has been predicted, but they are still here - alive and well in the cloud. The Museum's largest computer, the huge ICL 2966 of the 1980s, is coming back to life and there is a 1950's Marconi TAC, 1960's Elliotts and a 1960s IBM 1130.

Behind the scenes at the airport

Did you know about the people and computers who ensure that you have safe take-off and landing for every flight you make? Visit the NATS Air Traffic Control Gallery and experience what it's like to be an air traffic controller in our virtual airport.

Little known stories of the heroines of computing

Using the latest in interactive digital signage display technology, the Women in Computing Gallery sponsored by Google presents a multimedia tribute to female pioneers of computing. The gallery is highly dynamic, so if you have a story to tell, please come and tell us!

When data came on cards

Before electronic computers were common, many offices used sophisticated punched card machines for payroll, accounts, and stock control. Skilled operators punched data on cards that could be repeatedly sorted and used to produce reports. Powers-Samas was one such machine ...

How the internet was made possible

Used by over 25% of the world’s population, the internet is the phenomenon of our age. The NPL Technology of the Internet Gallery traces communication technologies from the telegraph to the internet and explains Packet Switching, the key technology of modern communications.