Preserving Innovation, Inspiring What’s Next
Every swipe, click, and stream traces back to a defining moment. A prototype. A pitch. A breakthrough. The Mimms Museum of Technology and Art stands as a living archive of those moments, preserving the technology and the bold thinking that transformed the way we live.
As a nonprofit organization, the museum exists for a purpose far greater than display. Its mission is rooted in preservation, education, and community impact, ensuring the history of computing and innovation remains accessible to future generations.
What began as a personal collection has grown into one of the most significant archives of computing history in the country.
“The idea grew out of my lifelong passion for collecting and preserving historic computers and technology,” says Board Chairman and Founder Lonnie Mimms. “Over time, I realized many of these artifacts and their stories were disappearing. I did not want those milestones to be lost.”
That curiosity transformed into a mission. Machines that once filled offices, laboratories, and garages were quietly vanishing. Prototypes were discarded. Launch materials were overlooked. Entire chapters of innovation risked being forgotten.
“Technology shapes nearly every part of modern life, yet its history is surprisingly fragile,” says Co-Founder Karin Mimms. “Preserving these machines honors the people behind them and reminds us that innovation happens step by step.”
From Private Collection to Public Institution
For decades, the collection expanded steadily. It eventually required storage spaces and larger facilities as its significance became undeniable.
“When we opened to the public in 2019, it marked a new chapter,” says Executive Director Rena Youngblood. “We were no longer simply preserving artifacts. We were creating a place where people could experience this history firsthand.”
Since opening its doors, attendance, exhibits, programming, and partnerships have grown. Collectors across the country now entrust their technological legacies to the museum, confident their artifacts will be preserved with care and long term stewardship.
The institution has evolved from a remarkable collection into a dynamic cultural resource.
Where Technology Meets Art
As leadership reflected on how best to tell the story of innovation, one truth became clear. Technology cannot be separated from creativity.
“Technology and art have always been intertwined,” shares Elaine Pelaia, Director of Museum Operations. “From industrial design to digital graphics, innovation is as much about creativity as it is about engineering. We want visitors to see that great technology is not just functional. It is expressive and human.”
By incorporating art, advertising, typography, product design, and cultural storytelling, the museum broadens the narrative.
Defining Moments in Innovation
Lonnie notes that early personal computers from companies like Apple Inc. and IBM are especially meaningful because they represent the moment computing moved from institutions into homes and small businesses. Original advertising materials and launch memorabilia are equally powerful. They capture the excitement of those breakthrough moments. Each artifact tells a story about possibility and risk.
“Those early systems changed everything,” Lonnie explains. “They made technology personal.”
That story continues with the museum’s newest exhibition. In March, the museum unveiled iNSPIRE: 50 Years of Innovation from Apple, an immersive exploration of Apple’s evolution from startup to global cultural force. The exhibition highlights breakthrough products, iconic marketing campaigns, design philosophy, and the bold thinking that helped redefine personal technology.
“It allows visitors to see how one company influenced not just computing, but culture,” says Rena. “It shows how innovation, design, and storytelling work together.”
The museum is also home to the largest collection of Cray supercomputers in the world. These systems pushed the boundaries of high performance computing and demonstrated what bold engineering could accomplish at the highest level. Complementing this legacy of high performance innovation, the space exploration exhibit showcases the groundbreaking computing and engineering technologies that enabled humanity’s earliest journeys beyond Earth.
Together, the collection tells a much bigger story. It shows how technology became personal and how innovators kept pushing the limits of what was possible. Standing in front of these machines, visitors see more than hardware. They see big ideas brought to life.
An Experience Across Generations
For many guests, the experience is deeply personal.
“Visitors often feel nostalgia, surprise, and inspiration,” says Karin. “Some recognize the computer they first learned on. Younger visitors are often amazed by how quickly technology has evolved.”
Parents point out systems they once used at work. Grandparents share stories of early office transitions. Students encounter floppy disks and processors with curiosity.
The exhibits are immersive yet accessible, designed to spark conversation across generations.
Rooted in Community. Focused on Possibility.
Community engagement remains central to the museum’s mission.
“A museum should be more than a destination. It should be a community asset,” Rena says. “When we invest locally, we strengthen families, schools, tourism, and economic vitality.”
Through partnerships with educators and organizations, innovation is not simply displayed. It is cultivated.
“Through field trips, lectures, special exhibits, and hands on engagement, we connect past innovation to future possibility,” says Karin. “Students begin to see that many groundbreaking technologies were created by people who were once young and curious.”
That realization shifts perspective. Innovation feels accessible.
“We want visitors to leave with a deeper appreciation for the human side of technology,” Elaine says. “Behind every device is vision, design, experimentation and collaboration.”
For Lonnie, the mission remains clear.
“This was never just about collecting,” he admits. “It is about making sure the defining moments that shaped our digital world are not forgotten.”
Visit the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art
Explore where innovation and creativity meet. From early personal computers and iconic supercomputers to art, design, and the new iNSPIRE exhibit, the museum brings big ideas to life for every generation.
5000 Commerce Parkway
Roswell, Georgia 30076
mimmsmuseum.org