The Heinz Nixdorf Museum and Forum is the world’s biggest computer museum, as well as a vibrant venue. The 5,000-year history, present and future of information technology is depicted over 6,000 m² of floor space, from the origins of numbers and characters in 3,000 B.C. all the way to the computer age of the 21st century. The 2,000-plus objects on show are presented within the broad context of social and economic history, making the exhibition appealing to laymen and computer experts alike. The extensive offering of events in the museum’s forum complements the exhibition. Lectures, workshops and conferences focus on aspects of the far-reaching influence exerted by information technologies on both man and society at large. Thus the remit of the HNF is to address the issues of man’s guidance and education in the present-day information society.

The Heinz Nixdorf Museum and Forum is sponsored by the Stiftung Westfalen, founded by Heinz Nixdorf himself. This concentrates on promoting science and teaching, especially in the field of information technology.