Many people are aware that integrated circuits (ICs) are essential components in electronic devices of all types, but few can guess what they do or how they were invented. Drawing from the digital Chip Hall of Fame created by IEEE Spectrum magazine, the goal of Microchips that Shook the World is to convey the vital and varied roles played by ICs in our technological society, such as signal processing, audio engineering, telecoms, and more. It connects opaque names like 6502, NAND Flash and PIIX3 to products you will remember or recognize, such as a bestselling home computer or cassette player from the 1980s.
Every microchip has a story. The ubiquitous FM radio chip that launched a thousand gadgets in the 1980s because one Philips manager went rogue. The humble 555 timer chip—designed by hand fifty years ago, yet still in mass production. The speech synthesizer chip that helped E.T. “phone home” in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie. Behind the black plastic and metal contacts awaits a rich world of rivalries, gambits, and grand designs.
Microchips that Shook the World is brought to you by ASML, the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society, the IEEE Electron Devices Society, the Bill and Dianne Mensch Foundation and other generous donors.
Venues
There are two identical copies of the Microchips that Shook the World, named after the color of the Diamond Rio MP3 player they contain. This makes it possible to display the exhibit at public venues and IEEE or other conferences and events at the same time.
Black Rio Microchips
ASML (Wilton, CT)
September 29, 2025 to November 17, 2025
IEEE IEDM (San Francisco, CA)
December 6, 2025 to December 10, 2025
IEEE Board Series (Austin, TX)
February 11, 2026 to February 16, 2026
IEEE ECTC (Orlando, Fl)
May 26, 2026 to May 29, 2026
Silver Rio Microchips
Attleboro Area Industrial Museum (Attleboro, MA)
October 11, 2025 to December 27, 2025
IEEE Members, ASML employees, and their guests receive free entry.
National Museum of Industrial History (Bethlehem, PA)
January 18, 2026 to April 19, 2026
IEEE Members, ASML employees, and their guests receive a 50% discount on entry.
American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting (Philadelphia, PA)
May 20, 2026 to May 23, 2026
An Iconic Microprocessor
What do landmark early personal computers like the Commodore 64 and game consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System have in common? They were powered by versions of the same 8-bit microprocessor released in 1975: the 6502 by MOS Technology.
“8-bit,” or 8 binary digits, refers to the ability to compute using numbers between 0 and 255 in a single operation. The 6502 did this fast, and at a low cost because it ran on a simple set of instructions and was made by a reliable process. Engineers everywhere rushed to install it in affordable home computers and game consoles.
◆
Microprocessors are not only found in computers. Successors of the MOS Technology 6502 continue to run all kinds of electronics, from medical devices to children’s toys.
Dual-Chamber Pacemaker (2009)
Implanted in the chest, pacemakers help the heart beat normally by sending electrical pulses to it along wires. IEEE History Center
Bandai “Tamagotchi” (1996)
This virtual pet simulation game became one of the biggest toy crazes of its time and remains on sale today. Museum Rotterdam
Commodore 64 (1985)
Powered by a descendant of the 6502 CPU, the Commodore 64 became the bestselling computer of all time. Over ten million units shipped worldwide after its launch in 1982. Karl Staedele/dpa
Featured Chips
Microchips Q & A
Who is the exhibit for?
Tech-curious upper middle-school students, teenagers, and adults. Tech insiders will enjoy more detailed biographies of individual microchips that feature in the IEEE Spectrum Chip Hall of Fame. These can be self-selected as extensions to the main exhibit content.
Will the exhibit look just like one shown in the prospectus?
Apart from the artifact selections, it will be very similar. The graphic panel that was previously undetermined will focus on “What’s in a microchip?” and feature an interactive section to engage visitors with the behavior of transistors and how they enable computer logic.
How much space does the exhibit take up?
How much does a rental cost?
Thanks to ASML, the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society, the Mensch Foundation, and other generous donors, nothing at all. We only ask that you grant IEEE members and ASML employees free or discounted admission to your institution (which option depends on the usual cost).
How long is a rental?
We envisage a standard rental period of about 2–3 months, but this can be negotiated as we build our calendar. While making the exhibit publicly available, we also plan to show the it at IEEE conferences and events, which may naturally suggest some shorter or longer rental periods.
When are you scheduling for?
We plan to launch in September 2025 and will initially schedule out through 2028.
Do you only rent to museums?
No. The exhibit is designed to be set up with minimal skill and without any need for artifact handling. As such, we can consider renting to other types of organization. The most important things are a suitable space and an interested audience.
What does IEEE expect from host institutions?
Host institutions will be responsible for receiving, setting up, and repacking the exhibit, and for storing the crate while it is on display. In addition, hosts are expected to insure the exhibit while on their premises. We would also like you to organize a joint event with IEEE for your supporters and ours.
What does IEEE provide to host institutions to help promote the exhibit?
We will make available a marketing toolkit that contains publicity emails, designs for a promotional poster and postcard, social media assets, and donor recognition guidelines.
.
About the Exhibit-in-a-Box Program
The aim of the IEEE Global Museum “Exhibit in a Box” program is to create engaging, interactive and compact exhibits that can travel easily to a variety of locations. Each exhibit in a box will pair a single or small group of key artifacts with engaging interactive content to produce a self-contained educational experience in the history of electrotechnology. The “box” refers to the capability of packing the exhibit straightforwardly into a compact crate that can be unpacked to create an attractive, interactive exhibit.
Enter our Microworld
Interested in hosting or want to learn more? We’d love to hear from you.