£30,000 gift saves computer museum
FINANCIAL CRASH
A TREASURE trove of collected consoles and computer systems from the 1960s onwards has been saved.
The Retro Computer Museum, in Thurmaston, has been closed for most of the last 18 months due to Covid-19 restrictions with no income.
Initially with grants from Leicester City Council and money saved up, the owners managed to keep the hidden gem afloat – but as restrictions continued to bite and the doors remained shut, a crowdfunding campaign was launched.
Generous donations poured in but the target was met after a huge £30,000 donation from an anonymous donor.
Owner and founder Andy Spencer said: “At first I thought it was a mistake
but then I got a text from the person who donated it and it turns out it was actually someone I know quite well, and they wanted to help.”
Overwhelmed by their generosity, Andy said he was brought to tears.
“When people were donating £30 or £50 I thought that was just amazing – it means so much to me and to the team.”
The museum, also a registered charity, has been staffed by volunteers since its inception and it could not do without them, Andy said.
Now 50, Andy launched the museum 13 years ago but his impressive collection of more than 40,000 games, consoles and computer systems started when he was 11 years old.
The decades-spanning display includes early home consoles such as the Atari 2600 as well as more recent consoles such as the Nintendo Gamecube, Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft’s Xbox.
What was initially a haven for “nerds and geeks” Andy said has become a family destination too where people can not only view the vintage displays but also play with the consoles and arcade machines.
But the global pandemic pushed the museum into the threat of closure almost overnight. @leicslive
DONOR WARDS OFF
“It was awful – with everything going on in the world and people dying it was already a devastating time and the thought of losing what we’ve worked so hard on for long was really scary,” Andy said.
Now, with the support of more than £68,000 from 257 donors, the museum can undergo some “muchneeded” improvements as well as reopen to the public later this month.
“All of those who have donated will always have my respect and appreciation,” Andy said. “This has been almost magical.”
The Retro Computer Museum aims to open its doors during the spring bank holiday weekend on May 29.
Tickets for the opening have nearly sold out already.
Find out more about the museum at: