Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Xerox Alto Central Processing Unit

American History Museum

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer
  • Chassis Front, During Treatment
  • CPU Front, After Treatment
  • CPU Front, Before Treatment
  • CPU Proper Left, After Treatment
  • CPU Proper Left, Before Treatment
  • CPU Proper Right, After Treatment
  • CPU Proper Right, Before Treatment
  • CPU Rear Interior, During Treatment
  • CPU Rear, After Treatment
  • CPU Rear, Before Treatment
  • CPU Top, After Treatment
  • CPU Top, Before Treatment, with Keyboard
  • Foam Loss 1, During Treatment
  • Foam Loss 2, During Treatment
  • Foam Loss 3, During Treatment
  • Foam Loss, During Treatment
  • Front, After Foam Removal, During Treatment
  • Front, Before foam Removal, During Treatment
  • Front, Foam Detail 2, During Treatment
  • Front, Foam Detail, During Treatment

    Object Details

    maker

    Xerox Corporation

    Description

    The Alto was developed the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It was designed to be a networked operating system with a cutting-edge graphics display. The Alto consisted of the processor and storage unit, the display, keyboard, and mouse. Although the Alto and its successor, the Star, were not major commercial successes, their technologies were crucial to the development of personal computers and widely adapted for use by the industry.
    Object 1989.0432.01.1 is the large processor and disk storage unit; 1989.0432.01.2 the monitor and keyboard, and 1986.0432.01.3 a disk of games played on the ALTO.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Xerox Corporation, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center

    Date made

    1973

    ID Number

    1989.0432.01.1

    catalog number

    1989.0432.01.1

    accession number

    1989.0432

    Object Name

    Microcomputer
    processor, computer, xerox alto microcomputer

    Measurements

    overall: 22 1/2 in x 27 3/4 in x 28 in; 57.15 cm x 70.485 cm x 71.12 cm
    overall: 57 in x 39 in x 43 in; 144.78 cm x 99.06 cm x 109.22 cm

    place made

    United States: California, Palo Alto

    See more items in

    Medicine and Science: Computers
    Computers & Business Machines

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-70b1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_334631

    Discover More

    red Honda Civic

    1970s: A Decade in the Collections

    sign saying Sorry! Last car in this line

    1973: A Year in the Collections

    arrow-up Back to top
    Home
    • Facebook facebook
    • Instagram instagram
    • LinkedIn linkedin
    • YouTube youtube

    • Contact Us
    • Get Involved
    • Shop Online
    • Job Opportunities
    • Equal Opportunity
    • Inspector General
    • Records Requests
    • Accessibility
    • Host Your Event
    • Press Room
    • Privacy
    • Terms of Use