It’s easy to take the fast rate of change in modern life for granted, but sometimes we need to experience the changes in an interactive way to appreciate them. What are some of the best ways of doing this in Swindon and discovering the ways that everyday activities have changed?
The Museum of Computing Is a Trip Down Memory Lane
Computers, the internet and smartphones have become such a huge part of life that it comes as a shock to many people to realise that they’ve not been around for as long as they had thought. The Museum of Computing in Swindon is located at Theatre Square and was the UK’s first museum dedicated to the history of computers and other devices when it opened in 2000, before moving to its current location nine years later.
This museum’s gallery is a trip down memory lane for anyone who used the earliest computer models towards the end of the 20th century. A virtual tour is available online, and if you visit it, then you can get the full hands-on experience of using classic devices. It opens on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, with special events like Halloween Byte Night and RetroFest UK 2025 listed among the attractions throughout the year.
Online and Live Bingo Can Now Be Combined
Like most of the UK’s towns and cities, Swindon enjoyed a boom in the 20th century when bingo halls started to spring up. The Regent Theatre building was one of the most famous here to be converted in this way, having been used as a cinema before then.
Online bingo has become hugely popular since the turn of the century, with players now joining the games whenever it suits them and without leaving home if they prefer. When looking for bingo clubs in and around Swindon, we can see that it’s possible to play the same games online or in a live setting. Paper and touchpad options are offered to give added flexibility.
STEAM Museum and the History of the Rail Network
Excellent transport links have helped Swindon grow over the years, with the Magic Roundabout one of the town’s most iconic images and the M4 motorway giving fast access to the rest of the country. However, it was the founding of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the 1840s that helped improve transport options. This line travelled from London to Bristol, with the company’s main workshops near Swindon, where junctions linked to the North and South.
These days, we can visit the STEAM Museum to relive the glory days when these trains puffed across the country. Videos and interactive displays are used to help visitors understand how these machines were built and how they operated. A 1930s platform shows us how glamorous railway travel was at the time, with the King George V and City of Truro locomotives giving us a glimpse of the style that travellers enjoyed while moving across the rail network.
All of these different interactive options give us an interesting way to enjoy activities that have changed greatly over the years to fit our lifestyles better.
