The TNMOC/London Mathematical Society Conference
The National Museum of Computing and the London Mathematical Society are honoured to be able to facilitate a major international conference on the ideas and influences prompted by Alan Turing’s ground-breaking 1936 paper published in the Proceedings of the LMS. The world’s leading research mathematicians, philosophers and thinkers – all working in fields which have arisen from the original ‘Computable Numbers’ idea back in 1936 – will present their work and explain how ideas imagined 90 years ago have relevance today.
At the iconic Bletchley Park Fellowship Auditorium, 16-18 September 2026
Bringing the leading thinkers together
Contributions from the US, Argentina, New Zealand and the UK
Current research inspired by Turing’s 1936 paper
Flagship launch for Computable90 - a programme of events, exhibitions, talks, challenges, workshops and more - presented by The National Museum of Computing
Computable 90 Conference
Celebrating Alan Turing’s first and foremost idea
In 1936, Alan Turing’s seminal paper ‘On computable numbers, with an application to the Entscheidungsproblem’ was published by the London Mathematical Society. Ninety years on, the significance of the work done by Turing remains undiminished. It occupies a unique position of ongoing relevance in the fields of symbolic logic, number theory, problem complexity, computer science and more. In wider social terms, its impact on the development of computing is without parallel.
Defining the Turing Machine
Providing a blueprint for programmable computers
Deciding what is provable and what is not
Demonstrating the logic and limitations of machines
The Computable 90 initiative includes a strong focus on Academic Engagement, with a dedicated Conference element. This is intended to foster high-level discussion and increase public understanding of Alan Turing's enduring influence in computer science. The project is built around celebrating the 90th anniversary of Turing's ground-breaking 1936 paper on computability, which laid the foundations for modern computing. This academic focus ensures that discussions remain relevant to cutting-edge research and the ongoing significance of his work.
About the conference
The conference will take place on 16-18 September 2026, bringing together mathematicians and leading thinkers in the fields inspired by Alan Turing’s seminal paper On Computable Numbers.
It will appeal especially to mathematicians and researchers interested in computability, decidability, mathematical logic and the history of computing. The conference will also provide an opportunity for early-career researchers to showcase their work in areas stimulated by the 1936 paper. We will engage the public in debate about these ideas and their current significance. We will explain, educate, celebrate, inspire and entertain. The conference is open to all.
We are delighted to be able to offer bursaries and discounted registration fees to accepted early career researchers who can present their work in the poster session. Applications for bursaries will be reviewed by the London Mathematical Society.
For all the details on the conference, click on the 'Find Out More' link below.
Public Engagement
The Conference itself is targeted at the academic community, though everyone who has an interest in Alan Turing's 1936 paper and the ideas it has sparked will be stimulated and are welcome to attend.
For a more general audience, we are offering a Public Lecture which will take place in the afternoon of Thursday 17 September 2026 (exact timing to be confirmed).
For details of the Conference itself and the Public Lecture click on the link below.
About the organisers and venue
The National Museum of Computing, located in the UK’s Bletchley Park, is home to the world's largest collection of working historic computers. As well as housing the World War II era Turing-Welchman Bombe and Colossus rebuilds and the WITCH (the world's oldest working digital computer), the Museum offers education programmes, festivals, lectures, visitor activities, and interpreted exhibition and interactivity to raise awareness and inspire future generations of computer scientists, engineers and inventors.
The London Mathematical Society is the UK’s learned society for mathematics. Its purpose is the advancement, dissemination and promotion of mathematical knowledge, both nationally and internationally. In 1936, the LMS published Alan Turing’s paper On Computable Numbers and is both proud and honoured to celebrate this important anniversary.
Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the World War Two Codebreakers, is now a museum and vibrant heritage attraction, with the mission to attract, engage and educate people from all over the world in order to inspire them with Bletchley Park’s crucial role in World War Two. The Computable90 conference will take place in the Bletchley Park Fellowship Auditorium, a state-of-the-art, 250-seat, presentation and event space.
Early Career Researcher channel open for applications
The Early Career Researcher channel for the Computable 90 conference is open for bursary applications! This is your chance to engage in high-level discussions and explore the enduring influence of Alan Turing's 1936 paper on modern computing. Apply today!
See the Conference Details page for more information.
