Visit to the National Museum of Computing 2015
Saturday, 3rd October 2015
National Museum of Computing
Bletchley Park
Milton Keynes MK3 6EB
United Kingdom
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Description
City University London is delighted to invite you to visit The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) in the company of Professor David W Stupples, Director of the Centre for Cyber and Security Sciences. The Museum, located at Bletchley Park, is an independent charity housing the largest collection of functional historic computers in Europe.
TNMOC enables visitors to follow the development of computing from the ultra-secret pioneering efforts of the 1940s through the mainframes of the 1960s and 1970s, and the rise of personal computing in the 1980s. New working exhibits are regularly unveiled and the public can already view a rebuilt and fully operational Colossus (the world’s first electronic computer), the restored Harwell Dekatron / WITCH computer, an ICL 2966, one of the workhorse mainframes computers of the 1980s, many of the earliest desktops of the 1980s and 1990s, plus the NPL Technology of the Internet Gallery.
Professor Stupples will talk about the breaking of the German cipher called "Fish". Fish was the code used by the German Lorenz SZ42 Machine (called Tunny), and this code was used by the German high command to communicate orders from Hitler and his most senior generals to fighting units. The breaking of this code saved countless lives in the Normandy landings and subsequent fighting through Europe. The code was so complex it needed the world's first programmable computer - Colossus- to break it. David Stupples will explain how the code was broken and how this method of coding led to future Cold War cipher machines. You will be able to see Colossus working and one of two remaining examples of the Lorenz SZ42.
Itinerary:
10.30 - 11.00 Arrival and refreshments
11.00 - 11.30 Guided tour of Tunny and Colossus by TNMOC guides
11.30 - 12.30 Prof Stupples talk on about the breaking of the German cipher "Fish"
12.30 - 13.30 Lunch
Following lunch you are welcome to independently tour the museum and/or visit Bletchley Park (a separate admission fee will apply for Bletchley Park). The cost of this event is £30 per person.
Click here to see map of the area.
Make sure you don't miss this fantastic opportunity! Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT