Rhode Island Computer Museum - RICM

Name

Rhode Island Computer Museum - RICM

Legal name

Rhode Island Computer Museum

Website

https://ricomputermuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) is a nonprofit museum in North Kingstown, RI, preserving vintage computing hardware (DEC PDP series, VAX, Cray, Data General, Apple, IBM) and delivering STEM education programs, including F24 Kit Car racing, to K-12 students and technology enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Computer History Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF), Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)

Keywords

• Vintage computer museum
• Computer history preservation
• STEM education programs
• Hardware restoration services
• Vintage props rental

Headquarters

HQ city

North Kingstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) is a nonprofit physical museum that preserves and exhibits vintage computing hardware, including DEC PDP series, IBM mainframes, Apple computers, and other historical systems. It offers museum visits, hands-on STEM education programs such as the F24 Kit Car building/racing initiative, and loans vintage computer artifacts to filmmakers for productions. The museum operates from a single location in North Kingstown, RI, and is sustained primarily through donations and grants.

Product overview

The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) is a nonprofit museum focused on preserving vintage computer hardware and computer history. The museum operates as a physical collection and educational institution rather than a technology company. Its core offerings include the Large Systems Collection (mainframes, minicomputers including DEC PDP series, VAX systems, and Cray supercomputers), the Small Systems Collection (personal computers including Apple, Commodore, IBM, Atari), educational data storage exhibits, the Fraser Archives (computer crypt with artifacts available for film production loans), and STEM education programs featuring hands-on activities like F24 Kit Car racing. The museum also maintains specialized collections in analog computers, video games, calculators, and test equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM Education Programs Educational initiatives including the F24 Kit Car program where K-12 students assemble and race battery-powered electric cars to learn STEM skills, funded by Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corp via a $25,000 HELP loan.
• Vintage Props Rental Loan of vintage computer artifacts to filmmakers and production studios for use as period-authentic props in films and TV shows such as 'Hidden Figures', 'Maniac', 'Halt and Catch Fire', and 'The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry'.
• The Fraser Archives The 'Computer Crypt' archive containing technological artifacts donated and maintained by Ron Fraser of Westborough, MA, made available for guided tours and as a source pool for filmmaker loans.
• Large Systems Collection Exhibits Physical museum exhibit of vintage mainframe, minicomputer, and supercomputer systems including DEC PDP series, VAX systems, Cray Research systems, Data General systems, and IBM mainframes available for walk-in public visitation.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greenpower CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity organization that developed the F24 Kit Cars used in RICM's STEM education program. Students assemble and race these battery-powered electric cars as part of hands-on learning.
• Ron FrasercoreOthersWestborough MA resident who donated and maintains the 'Computer Crypt' - an extensive collection of technological artifacts. His generous donations form a significant portion of the museum's collection.
• Brown & SharpeminorOthersDonated equipment including RX02 diskette drives, RX8-E controller, paper tape reader/punch, and PC8E controller that were part of the museum's PDP-12 system.
• Columbia UniversityminorOthersDonated the DEC PDP-11/93 to the museum's collection.
• Rigaku USAminorOthersDonated the DEC PDP-11/83 minicomputer system to the museum.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• The Strong National Museum of Play: Rochester, NY interactive museum with major video game and computing history collections. Comparable only on the gaming/consoles side of RICM's video game collection, with broader play-focused scope.

Broad incumbents

• Museum of Science, Boston: Large, well-endowed science and technology museum with substantial computing and engineering exhibits. Overlaps with RICM on STEM education and technology exhibits, but operates at a much larger scale and broader thematic scope.

Direct peers

• Living Computers: Museum + Labs: Seattle-based museum originally built by Paul Allen to showcase working vintage computers and interactive exhibits. Comparable to RICM in vintage computing focus, though it operates at a larger scale and with greater corporate backing.
• Computer History Museum: The leading U.S. museum dedicated to the history of computing, located in Mountain View, CA. It houses one of the largest collections of computing artifacts globally and is the most direct comparator for RICM's preservation and education mission.
• The National Museum of Computing: UK-based museum at Bletchley Park housing landmark machines including Colossus, plus extensive mainframes and minicomputers. Closely comparable operating model: nonprofit museum preserving working vintage computing systems for education and public visits.
• American Computer Museum: Bozeman, Montana nonprofit museum focused on the history of computing, with comparable exhibits of vintage mainframes, personal computers, and calculators serving a similar regional audience.

Regional players

• Heinz Nixdorf Forum: Germany's largest computer museum located in Paderborn, with extensive collections of calculating machines through modern computing. Comparable collections and educational mission, but operates in a different geography than RICM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/r_i_c_m
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RIComputerMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/RIComputerMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/r_i_c_m
• TikToktiktok.com/@r_i_c_m
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhode-island-computer-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Computer Museum - RICM