08/21/2026
A local museum has declined a donation of a cable modem, saying its collection already contains enough obsolete technology. The owner brought the device to the museum after replacing it, hoping it might join displays of cassette players, rotary phones, and early home computers.
Museum staff said the modem did not meet the collection’s standards because, despite its age and frequent restarts, it was still considered active equipment by the cable company.
“We preserve history here,” said museum spokesperson Dana Morales. “We do not preserve things that are somehow still charging people a monthly rental fee.”
The museum has encouraged the owner to return the modem to the cable provider, where officials say it may be refurbished, reissued, and rented to someone else.