The Arithmeum

Darrell had two back-to-back meetings in Germany, so we traveled to Bonn a day early to explore. Our first stop was one of the more unique museums we've been to - the Arithmeum.

A colorful blending of math, science, technology and art at the Arithmeum

The Arithmeum has four floors of mathematical devices - beginning on the top floor with calculi - counting stones showing an approximately 6,000 year old number system in Mesopotamia. They also have early abacuses from a number of regions, and counting coins from the Middle Ages. Below is an interesting combination of an abacus with a mid-80's calculator!

Calculator paired with a traditional Japanese Soroban (abacus) - 1985

The displays form a historic timeline of advancement in calculating devices - most of which I did not know even existed. Going down one floor you move into the world of Napier's Rods and other calculating devices built by engineers, watchmakers, and even barons!

A version of Napier's Rods that was invented by Henri Genaille, a French railroad engineer, in 1885

Paris watchmaker Rene Grillet combined a simple adding/subtracting unit with Napier's Rods in cylindrical form to create this pocket-size calculator in 1678!

The Arithmeum had some displays you couldn't touch, and others where you were encouraged to use them to see how they worked. These displays included a handout or even a 3-ring binder with detailed instructions on how to use the device.

Hands-on simplified Napier's Rods with information about the Scotsman John Napier (1550-1617) and directions for how to use the rods for multiplication and division, and even squaring and finding square roots for the more talented visitor!

Going down to ground level you enter the world of more recent mechanical calculating machines, many of which were industrially produced and have instructions for their use. One of my favorites is "Consul", The Educated Monkey.

First patented in 1889 in Munich, and then modified and patented as a child's toy in the USA in 1916, you can still buy both antique (expensive) and modern calculating monkeys! Just move the monkeys feet to the numbers you want to multiply (up to 12 x 12) and the answer is between the monkeys hands.

Of course most of the calculating devices were more serious and could multiply past 12 x 12!

This Webb Ribbon Adder from 1891 was operated by pulling chains down

This Dalton adding machine form 1902 was designed by H. Hopkins and was the first with a sliding carriage, but the novel 10-keyboard did not gain acceptance

We then went to the basement where there is an entire wall of adding machines, plus early voting and punch card machines, and the earliest computers.

An entire wall of adding machines - engineering art!

This Pantograph as used during the 1890 US Census to transfer information from the census to punched cards. One person could punch 700 cards per day. On the right, Darrell is casting his vote on an early voting machine.

One last word from the Arithmeum: "The symbiosis of science, art and technology in the Arithmeum was not haphazard but intended. 'We have Art to save us from perishing through Truth'. This saying of Nietzsche is today more to the point than ever before. Aesthetics and beauty help us to live and experience more fully in our homogeneous and rushing world."

“When a certain degree of technological ability has been achieved, science and art tend to merge into aesthetics. All great scientists are at the same time also artists.“ Albert Einstein, 1923

Thank you to the Arithmeum and their excellent website for the information for this post.

Note: If you have gotten more curious about the history of mathematics, and you can't make it to the Arithmeum in Bonn, here is a website by the prolific Luke Mastin that covers the Story of Mathematics in terrific detail!