Computer and Communications Museum of Ireland - CCMI

12/06/2026

'Space Exploration' exhibition - A Great Success!

Part 2
The museum’s popular iconic array of retro game consoles and computers were set up at the exhibition to play space-themed games such as Asteroids and Space Invaders with a separate display that included parts of Ireland’s largest collection of vintage space stamps from multiple countries on the subject of Outer Space.

We had a reading room populated with nearly hundred rare 1950s-1970s science fiction comics from the DC and Marvel universes, Star Trek memorabilia and once popular British comics such as Stingray, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Captain Scarlett and Dan Dare comics from Britain. This facility allowed visitors to be introduced to 1960s children’s science fiction comics containing what were then radical positive messages such as peace on Earth with racial, female and disability role models, and warnings of global environmental damage caused by human society.
In a world torn apart by the most brutal of wars characterised by the misuse of computing technologies and increasingly suffering from the detrimental effects of a growing Climate Crisis, it is worth noting that the space programmes of the USA and USSR that were born out of ideological conflict and competition actually gave humankind and the planet many benefits and led to the superpowers of the time coming together in peaceful partnership in space giving rise to today’s International Space Station (ISS).
So we hosted a display of everyday materials and equipment that originated from the Space programmes.
The exhibition also showcased computers made in Ireland by Apple and DEC that were of the same type as operated by NASA staff and the purposes that they were used for.
Finally at one of the exhibits we highlighted a little known Irish drinks connection to the Apollo astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts!

11/06/2026

'Space Exploration' exhibition - A Great Success!

Part 1
Many thanks to all those who attended our special thematic exhibition in the Computer & Communications Museum on the early decades of Space Exploration.
It was a great success with families and people of all ages and backgrounds in attendance.

The idea to hold such an event was sparked by the recent Artemis II mission, the first crewed space flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 landed on the Moon’s surface in 1972, and which has captured the popular imagination across the globe and reawakened public interest in human travel into deep space.

So in recognition of this amazing technological achievement in returning humanity to the Moon’s orbit after an absence of 54 years, we decided to organise an interactive exhibition suitable for both young and old to highlight the accomplishments and legacies of the United States and the then Soviet Union space programmes in the period from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Among the artifacts on show was an authentic Sony TC-50 cassette recorder of the type used by astronauts on the first Moon landing complete with their original music playlist; a replica of ‘Telstar’ the world’s first telecommunications satellite that went into orbit in July 1962 created by artists Neal White and Tina O’Connell for the Galway Tulca Festival of Visual Arts in 2013; a replica made by Frank McCurry, Tom Frawley and Sean Clancy of ‘Sputnik’ the world’s first artificial satellite launched in October 1957 which represented the beginnings of humankind’s journey into Outer Space; a 9 screen wall dashboard showing the paths of multiple satellites and space telescopes currently orbiting the Earth; and a sample of a Kodak Ektachrome film similar to what was used by astronaut William Anders to take the iconic Earthrise photograph that is credited with sparking the global environmental movement.

We also had an exhibit on cultural aspects of the USSR that includes a gallery of contemporary posters glorifying the achievements of the Soviet space programme. For it is often forgotten today that whilst the USA was the first and only country to land humans on the surface of the Moon, the Soviet Union sent the first satellite into space (Sputnik), the first animal into space(Laika), the first person into space (Yuri Gagarin), the first woman into space (Valentina Tereshkova) and developed the first space station (Salyut).

Thanks to the support of the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics

Finally a big thank you/Míle buíochas to Michelle and her sons for once again travelling all the way from Ennistymon for this public open day and dressing up in suitable space-themed tee-shirts for the occasion!

03/06/2026

20/05/2026

A Reading Room of vintage Science Fiction Comics at Space Day in the museum (June 6th).

The Geaney family enjoy a read through classic Science Fiction books and comics from the 1950s - 1970s era.
Probably the biggest collection of US and British vintage comics in Ireland will be on show in the Insight Conference Room to coincide with the Space Day in the museum.
So enjoy reading Marvel, DC, TV 21 and Eagle classics from the Silver Age of Comics and see what inspired the youth of that era to turn Science Fiction into Science Reality!

17/05/2026

Retro Gaming is so popular amongst our Young Visitors.

As well as enjoying using vintage radios, telephones and chalkboards in the museum, young visitors really enjoy the hands-on feel, sights and sounds of playing iconic games on retro consoles and computers.

15/05/2026

A Window into the Universe on June 6th

In preparation for the theme of the Open Day on Saturday June 6th, the desktops of the vintage Windows and other systems are being given a SPACE AGE ambiance.

13/05/2026

Galway Dashboard to become a Space Satellite Monitoring Station!

In preparation for the SPACE AGE exhibition on Saturday June 6th at our museum, Insight's "Galway Dashboard" which has been providing live data on atmospheric particulates from outdoor sensors at different locations in Galway city, will be transformed into a station tracking satellites orbiting the Earth.
Thanks to Duc-Duy (seated) for his hard work on this amazing project.
Also in photo is Eduardo (L) and James (R) who are working on putting together a suite of retro space games for next month's event

30/04/2026

Sputnik to feature in June's Space Age exhibition at the museum.

Volunteers Tom, Seán and Frank stand behind a 3D model of Sputnik 1.
Launched by the Soviet Union on October 4th 1957, Sputnik 1 was the world's first artificial Earth satellite and marked the beginning of the space age.
The model will form a centrepiece of our Space Age exhibition taking place in the museum on June 6th.

However the museum will also be open to the public this Saturday (May 2nd) from 11.30am to 2pm.

27/04/2026

A Tribute to Space Technology.- new exhibition for June

In recognition of the recent success of the crewed Artemis 2 space ship In travelling to the dark side of the Moon, our museum will be hosting a very special public exhibition on the beneficial technology and cultural aspects of the USSR and USA space programmes from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s.
Volunteers are working really hard to put together a range of fascinating artifacts that we feel will truly capture the popular imagination.
The photo shows some of the interesting elements being worked on (clockwise from top left): replica of the 1962 Telstar communications satellite (thanks TULCA), a dashboard tracking satellites orbiting the Earth, a visual display of the impact of the classic 1960s Star Trek children's science fiction television series on technology development, and a 3D model of the Sputnik satellite.
More details on these and other exhibits to follow.
Proposed exhibition date: Saturday June 6th

07/04/2026

Robot Guide for the Museum!
Insight's Martin Serrano is working on developing a robot guide for the museum. Martin is programming this very friendly assistant to follow a yellow brick road in the facility!
In spite of what it says on his teeshirt, Martin does not work for NASA!