The Computer History Museum in Mountain View announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged a $15 million gift to the museum’s campaign. The museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the artifacts and stories of the Information Age.

“The impact on our society of the computing revolution is simply breathtaking - it has changed the way we work, play, learn and communicate,” Gates said. “It’s our responsibility to collect the artifacts and stories today that will explain this incredible change to future generations. I believe that the Computer History Museum is uniquely positioned to do this, and Melinda and I are pleased to join other industry leaders to offer our support.”

“It (the gift) will play a crucial role in helping us to realize the museum’s vision,” said Len Shustek, chairman of the board of the Computer History Museum.

Including this new gift, the Silicon Valley-based museum has raised over $73 million toward its $125 million goal to create a full range of educational programs and exhibits and to establish a long-term endowment.

For more information, call 810-1010 or visit www.computerhistory.org.