Brazilian computer museums: Trajectories, perspectives and exhibition characteristics

Abstract

This presentation proposes the creation of a map of Brazilian museums that are dedicated to the history of computing as their central focus, whether from the perspective of local histories or a more general history of computing, and regardless of whether they are currently operational or inactive. The history of computing in Brazil began in the late 1950s, during the government of Juscelino Kubitschek, with the implementation of the Executive Group for the Application of Electronic Computers (GEACE) and the installation of the first computers in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Over the course of nearly seven decades of experience in the field, a rich history of the computerization process in Brazil has been observed, spanning from the development of a local computer industry to contemporary challenges such as the creation of Artificial Intelligence languages. In this sense, computing museums represent crucial means of preserving memory and developing new narratives about these histories, whether from a local or a more global perspective on the subject. Thus, we propose to present a mapping of Brazilian computer museums, seeking to understand the processes of their establishment and maintenance, as well as the narratives constructed by these environments: what history(ies) of computing these museums attempt to portray.