Community Highlights: Meet Lonnie Mimms of Mimms Museum of Technology and Art

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lonnie Mimms.

Hi Lonnie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My interest in computers and technology began during childhood visits to Fernbank Science Center and deepened after a formative programming class I took out of simple curiosity—never imagining that this early fascination would grow into a lifelong passion. For the next 40 years, I found joy in collecting anything and everything that told the story of computing and technological progress. There was no plan or grand vision for what it might one day become—each piece I brought home came from a place of genuine fascination with discovering artifacts that revealed how technology evolved.

My wife, Karin, recognized the potential in my collection and was essential in shaping how it would be interpreted, organized and shared with the public. Together, we transformed my personal collection into a public institution, opening the Computer Museum of America in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, with a mission to preserve history, educate the public and inspire future innovators.

As the museum grew, so did our mission. Embracing the synergy between art and technology, we rebranded in 2025 as the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art to reflect our broader focus on technology, design and visual culture. Today, the collection has grown to include hundreds of thousands of artifacts—ranging from early computing devices and supercomputers to rare prototypes and historically significant pieces of technological history. Building on this momentum, we are now preparing a major 20,000-square-foot expansion—iNSPIRE: 50 Years of Innovation from Apple—opening in 2026.

Little did I know that the curiosity sparked in me as a child would become my life’s work—and ultimately grow into one of the world’s largest and most significant private collections of computing and technology artifacts.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like any meaningful undertaking, it hasn’t been a perfectly smooth road. Once visitors walk through our doors, they’re pleasantly surprised—even shocked—by the scale of the collection and the depth of the experience. But getting them here in the first place is our biggest challenge. It takes constant outreach and storytelling to inspire the community to visit for the first time.

Fundraising has also been an uphill climb. We opened just months before COVID, and launching a museum in the middle of a global shutdown is not exactly in the playbook. The early years demanded a lot of resilience and creativity to keep moving forward.

Another challenge has been the blessing—and burden—of stewarding such a large and historic collection. With hundreds of thousands of artifacts, we can’t just put everything on display for the sake of volume. Every exhibit must tell a coherent story. That means our curatorial team invests a tremendous amount of time deciding what to feature, how to frame it and how to guide visitors through the evolution of technology in a way that feels both meaningful and inspiring.

These challenges have shaped us, making the museum stronger, more intentional and more dedicated to creating an experience that truly resonates with the public.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
People often try to put us in a tiny box—“Oh, you’re the computer museum,” or “You must just have Apple stuff.” and on an almost daily basis, we see the visitor’s assumption dissolve the moment someone steps through our doors.

What we really are is a museum about human creativity—told through technology and art. Yes, we house one of the world’s most significant technology collections, but our mission goes far beyond any single company or category. We celebrate the entire sweep of innovation: computers, video games, robotics, communications, AI, immersive media and the incredible art that technology makes possible.

Visitors never expect what they encounter here. They arrive thinking they’re entering a small gallery of machines…and soon realize they’ve stepped into a vast, multi-themed museum filled with stories they didn’t even know they wanted to hear. That sense of surprise, discovery and wonder is what truly sets us apart.

I’m most proud of how far we’ve come in such a short time. Our growth reflects who we are and what we believe: that technology is more than hardware—it’s imagination, creativity, breakthroughs and the human spirit pushing forward.

More than anything, I want readers to know that we’re not just “about computers,” and we’re not just “about Apple.” We’re about the people who build, dream, invent and express. We’re a place where technology and art live together—where every visitor, no matter their background, can find something that resonates with them.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
**The original question we answered below was: What matters most to you? Why?**

What matters most to me is creating a place that truly inspires people. Not just a museum filled with artifacts, but a gateway—a spark—that can open someone’s eyes to a future they didn’t know belonged to them, the same way Fernbank lit that spark in me all those years ago.

I know firsthand what that spark can look like. As a child at Fernbank, I walked in with curiosity and walked out with a love for technology that shaped the rest of my life. Experiences like that don’t happen by accident; they happen when a place dares to connect curiosity with possibility.

That’s what we want the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art to be—a place where someone, whether they’re 8 years old or 80, suddenly feels something light up inside them. A place where a single exhibit, a story, a machine or a piece of art can shift the trajectory of a life.

We want every visitor to feel that invitation: You belong in this world of ideas. You can build something. You can dream something. You can change something.

That’s what matters most to me. Inspiration doesn’t just shape individuals—it shapes communities, generations and futures. And if we can ignite even one spark each day, then we’re doing something meaningful. Something lasting. Something worthy.

Pricing:

• We have general admission and various levels of individual and corporate membership pricing on our website, along with information on group visits: https://mimmsmuseum.org/visit/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mimmsmuseum.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Mimms_Museum/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MimmsMuseum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/computer-museum-of-america/
• Twitter: https://x.com/Mimms_Museum
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mimmsmuseum
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mimms-museum-of-technology-and-art-roswell

Image Credits
Mimms Museum of Technology and Art