The Computer History Museum (CHM) has launched OpenCHM, a new digital portal granting global access to its extensive collection. Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, this initiative offers advanced search tools, curator picks, and a developer portal. The goal is to make the history of technology more accessible to everyone, inspiring discovery and curiosity about the digital age.

OpenCHM's launch is a major milestone in CHM's multi-year digitization efforts. It aims to provide scholars, teachers, students, and the public with access to unique artifacts, archives, and oral histories. The platform features curated narratives alongside tools for users to explore their own interests, offering a deep dive into the evolution of computing.

This move by the CHM is essential for preserving and interpreting the history of technology. It enables the museum to share its wealth of knowledge through digital storytelling. By offering APIs and sample code, the museum is also encouraging developers to engage with the artifacts and contribute to the platform.

With ongoing digitization, OpenCHM will regularly add more historical materials. The museum's president, Marc Etkind, hopes the portal will provide a better understanding of the impact of computing on the world. The platform's features, like My Albums, allow users to create and share their own collections of materials.