There are many resources you can call upon to find out information about computers. Indeed, the danger of overload is very real. Few sources are as interesting as Blecthley Park and few are more inspiring for the geek.

I had mixed expectations about a visit there. The story of the cracking of the Enigma codes is as mathemetically complex as some of the feats of engineering designed at Bletchley that combined to help  the cause during WWII. The museum does a pretty good job in explaining the complexities of the code breaking and there are fascinating things to see and read. The reconstructed Colossus is a joy in itself but put into the context of the second World War and the allied necessity to decipher German messages the working Colossus is a splendid reminder of the passion, endurance and ingenuity of the people who worked at the site. The National Museum of Computing based at Bletchley Park is terrific too. Some old ICL machines proudly display their  distinctive Tango Orange: a hue I thought I had seen for the last time. The machines on display show a mix of the unlikely, the forgotten and the incredible and you should visit and enjoy them. You should also take your kids. It represented a true trip down memory lane for me by reinforcing fond memories of equipment I was familiar with and, probably as important, showing me things I had forgotten or never heard of.

The recents deaths of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch illustrate the reality that direct links to history fade all too quickly. So it will be for Bletchley Park. The role it played in WWII cannot be underestimated and to have much of that knowledge on display is a good thing for all who visit. Having people who understand the principles of the mathematics and the very real design and maintenance of the technology needed to fulfill the role of Bletchley Park will preserve it for posterity. The same can be said for the National Museum of Computing. There will have been projects and products in years gone by where expertise may also be increasingly hard to find. The National Museum of Computing hopes to rebuild and show off some of those projects so that future generations can share the wisdom and thinking that went into them.

I urge you to support the ventures at Bletchley Park so that supreme technological advances are not forgotten and that the true pioneers of their fields get the recognition their works deserve. A visit to this most deserving of destinations is a great way to start that process. Have a look at the website for details. Here is the link.