Zuse-Computer-Museum in Hoyerswerda closes due to funding gaps

The Zuse-Computer-Museum in Hoyerswerda has closed to regular visitors due to a lack of permanent funding. The museum, which documents the history of computing from mechanical calculators to modern information technology, is expected to be dismantled and its collection dissolved by the end of the year if a sustainable solution is not found.

The facility housed a significant collection, including approximately 18,000 devices in storage and a technical library of 6,000 books. Many exhibits documented the work of the former East German computer combine, Robotron.

The closure follows the decision by a local housing company to cease its annual contribution of approximately 300,000 euros, citing its own economic obligations. While a private donor had previously offered 250,000 euros, the support was contingent upon maintaining the location and modernizing the exhibition. The city of Hoyerswerda has also been unable to bridge the resulting financial gap. The museum was established in 2017 and honors Konrad Zuse, the pioneer considered the ‘father of the computer,’ who spent his youth in Hoyerswerda.