SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and the Computer History Museum (CHM), based in Silicon Valley, today announced that the museum has acquired a new collection of rare computers and related items, made possible by a $250,000 donation from SAP. Determined to be of high quality and historical importance, this collection was found in a remote warehouse in northwestern Germany and was scheduled for destruction before CHM intervened. The donation, managed by the Corporate Social Responsibility team within SAP Global Communications, funded the shipping, logistical support and storage required to move the collection from Germany to CHM's facility in Mountain View, California. The announcement was made during SAP's Silicon Valley Week, being held in Palo Alto, California, June 6-8.
Nearly 112 international manufacturers are represented in the collection, which filled seven-and-a-half 40-foot ocean-going containers and contains thousands of individual artifacts. Along with many rare electronic computer systems, the collection extends CHM's holdings of electromechanical-era objects, many never seen in North America before. Several of the items will appear in CHM's signature 14,000-square-foot "Timeline of Computing History" exhibit, which opens in the fall of 2009. The SAP-sponsored collection will also provide researchers access to unique objects and technical information unavailable anywhere else in the world.
"The support from SAP has allowed us to dramatically expand our collection, especially in regard to European technology," said John C. Toole, executive director and CEO, Computer History Museum. "This acquisition is the single largest of its kind for the museum, and SAP's donation is the most significant collections-related support we've received from a single corporation to date. It is through the generosity and foresight of companies such as SAP - who themselves are part of computer history - that the artifacts and stories of the information age are being preserved for generations to come."
Based in Mountain View, California, the Computer History Museum is home to the world's largest collection of computer artifacts. With more than three decades of collecting efforts, CHM preserves a comprehensive view of computing history, encompassing the machines, software and social implications of the computer. The museum's holdings include nearly 50,000 objects, photographs and films, as well as 4,000 linear feet of documentation and several hundred gigabytes of software.
SAP has a long-standing relationship with CHM, and has co-hosted a number of Silicon Valley technology events at CHM's Mountain View facility. When Dr. Ike Nassi, simultaneously both a founding member of the Board of Trustees of CHM and the senior vice president of research at SAP for the Americas and China, heard about the collection at a CHM board meeting, he saw the opportunity and brought it to the attention of SAP.
“SAP welcomed the opportunity to help preserve this historical collection, for we have a keen appreciation of the important role technology plays in our global community and a long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility,” said Henning Kagermann, CEO, SAP AG. “It is our hope this collection will help researchers piece together important details of our computing past – and inspire future generations to pursue even greater technology innovations.”
SAP Silicon Valley Week is a series of events that provide an opportunity for SAP to demonstrate its on-going commitment to Silicon Valley and all it has to offer SAP’s customers, partners and employees. SAP’s Silicon Valley presence continues to grow and has become a vital component of the company’s globalization and organic growth strategies.
The week is packed with a wide variety of activities and meetings designed specifically for SAP CEO Henning Kagermann, Deputy CEO Léo Apotheker and SAP senior management to engage with customers, ecosystem partners, the venture capital community, academic leaders, SAP Labs employees and local media.
SAP also announced today the opening of its inaugural North American Academic Symposium (see press release titled, “SAP Launches Inaugural North American Academic Symposium to Showcase Role of Academia in Business Innovation ”) and the opening of the SAP Co-Innovation Lab at SAP Labs U.S. in Palo Alto, Calif. (see press release titled, “SAP Unveils Co-Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley ”).
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The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a 25-year history as part of the former Boston Computer Museum. CHM preserves and presents the artifacts and stories of the information age and is dedicated to exploring the social impact of computing. CHM's diverse collection of computing-related artifacts is the largest and most significant in the world. CHM brings computing history to life through an acclaimed speaker series, dynamic website, and onsite tours and exhibits. Current exhibits include "Mastering The Game: A History of Computer Chess," "Innovation in the Valley," and "Visible Storage," featuring 600 key objects from the collection. A signature "Timeline of Computing History" exhibit will open in October 2009. For open hours and more information, please visit www.computerhistory.org or call 650.810.1010. Admission is free.
