Gasthaus Tirol Computer Museum of America seeks to generate bigger crowds

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga.— The Computer Museum of America hosted its second annual “Byte: A Night of Cuisine, Cocktails and Computers” fundraiser March 9, marking the start of a new phase for the tech-focused museum.

More than 200 people gathered at the museum after hours to tour exhibits and donate to the non-profit tech museum.

The Computer Museum of America opened in the corner of Roswell Town Center on Commerce Parkway in July of 2019. Museum founder Lonnie Mimms used his own collection of over 300,000 technology artifacts collected over 40 years to create the exhibits. The museum opened with the mission of “preserving stories and artifacts from the so-called digital age.”

With more than 34,000 square feet of exhibit space and displays on supercomputers, film technology and space travel, the museum spans the history of technology.

Museum highlights include the Pixar computer used to create “Toy Story,” a timeline of technology and a temporary interactive art installation.

Yet Executive Director Rena Youngblood said growth “hasn’t been as fast” as the museum’s team had hoped.

“We are now where we could have been within 12-15 months of starting,” Youngblood said. “Instead, it’s been three years.”

Youngblood joined the museum staff in early 2020, six months before COVID-19 shutdowns began. She cites the onset of the pandemic as one of the museum’s biggest challenges.

“We reopened when the government said we could, but it has not been the same,” Youngblood said.

Volunteers at the Computer Museum of America called the space a “hidden gem” in Roswell. Youngblood said the museum hears that a lot. For 2023, she plans to allocate more funds to promoting the museum and moving away from “hidden gem” status.

“You know, we’re just so young,” Youngblood said. “Every dollar you spend, it’s thoughtful.”

To bring in funds, the museum decided to host a “Byte” fundraiser event in 2022. The first fundraiser faced COVID-19 related delays, but Youngblood said it was eventually a success.

The funds helped the museum grow. Last year, they hired the museum’s first education and programs manager, hosted about 26 summer camps and weekly field trips. Youngblood said she has spent a lot of time working on a new strategic plan.

“We almost consider what we’ve done so far a proof of concept,” Youngblood said.

For the second annual “Byte” fundraiser, the Computer Museum of America had 17 sponsors, with 11 local restaurants and catering companies providing food and drink to guests.

The museum premiered their temporary exhibit, Georgia Tech’s interactive art