Living Computers Museum to permanently close, auction vintage items

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Seattle’s Living Computers Museum, founded by Microsoft co‑founder Paul Allen, is being permanently closed and its unique collection of working vintage systems — including a rare PDP‑10 — will be auctioned off by his estate. Commenters mourn the loss of a rare hands-on institution where visitors could actually use historically important machines, and debate whether Allen’s sister is to blame or simply following his will, which calls for liquidating most assets and donating proceeds to charity. The thread broadens into concerns about poor succession planning for cultural institutions, the fragility of niche museums, and how private collections in computing, art, and other fields often disperse or lose value after a collector’s death.

Emotional response and significance of LCM

  • Many commenters describe the Living Computers Museum (LCM) as one of the best, most unique museums they’ve visited.
  • The hands-on nature (using a PDP-10, Xerox Alto, Apple I, NeXT, Lisp machines, consoles, etc.) is seen as irreplaceable compared with “look‑but‑don’t‑touch” museums.
  • Several people recall visiting shortly before COVID and say it felt vibrant and educational, especially for kids and students.

Why it’s closing & role of the Allen estate

  • Consensus: closure and auction are part of liquidating Paul Allen’s estate.
  • Some argue this follows explicit instructions: sell assets and donate proceeds to charity, except for a few specially provided institutions.
  • Others think Allen failed at succession planning and didn’t endow LCM (or other projects like the Cinerama), so shutdown is ultimately on him, not the executor.
  • A minority sees the executor as hostile or indifferent; others push back, framing it as duty, not spite.

Auctions, valuation, and preservation

  • The PDP‑10 (possibly one of very few working examples) draws particular attention; estimates of $30–50k are seen as low by enthusiasts but also reflect huge space, power, and cooling requirements.
  • Some argue parting out the collection may actually increase odds that key machines are preserved by serious collectors or other museums; others fear pieces will vanish into private hands or scrap.
  • Questions arise about whether donations should be returned rather than sold; reply: legally, donations can be deaccessioned.

Alternatives and missed opportunities

  • Many wish the Computer History Museum, universities, or rich tech figures (especially in Seattle or the Bay Area) would step in to buy or endow the collection; nothing like that appears to be happening.
  • Other computer/tech museums worldwide are mentioned as partial consolation, but none match LCM’s scale plus interactivity.

Broader themes: museums, collections, and legacy

  • Thread broadens into how fragile small and mid‑size museums are, and how passion projects die without endowments or institutional backing.
  • Multiple anecdotes describe personal or family collections (art, stamps, trains, vintage computers, phones, cap guns, high‑end audio) selling for a fraction of acquisition cost.
  • Takeaway: collect for love, not investment; if you want a collection or museum to outlive you, you must plan and fund it explicitly.