10 corporate museums worth visiting

The first commercial microprocessor, zazhigalki- "veterans", history of the Guild of London and many other watchmakers in the exhibitions at private companies

Have its own museum for the company with a worldwide reputation becomes nowadays a matter of corporate pride and prestige. This is not surprising: these objects allow you to strengthen relations with our regular customers and attract new ones. In most corporate museum admission is free. In addition, they serve as a powerful advertising and PR-sites. Their exposure is often not just talk about the company's history, and on the establishment of a particular industry, as such, be it a computer, oil, brewing or any other. Below 10 most interesting Corporate museums worth visiting.

the Intel Museum (United States, California, Santa Clara)

How to find: Intel Museum, 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara

Working hours: Monday-Friday 9.00-18.00 Saturday 10.00-17.00; closed on Sundays and national holidays

Admission: no, but it requires the prior approval of the visit

Intel has pioneered the computer revolution: the world's first commercially available microprocessor, the Intel 4004, developed by the company in 2011 was 40 years old. In the history of this company have been many such revolutionary developments and ideas, through which we are living in a world in which we live. And almost all of them (some were created by order of the Pentagon and classified so far) can be found in the corporate museum, which first opened its doors in 1992. But after seven years of his exhibition area has been expanded to over 900 square meters. M. The museum is constantly being upgraded: it placed interactive displays and panels, which will be interesting to both adults and children - the latter in particular.

The first restaurant McDonald's (United States, Illinois, Des Plaines)

How to find: McDonald's # 1 Store Museum, 400 N. Lee Street

Working hours: open during the summer season from the end of May (from Memorial Day) at the beginning of September (until Labor Day)

Entrance fee: none

In 1955, in Des Plaines, opened its first restaurant "McDonald's" created is not a small company, a corporation under the leadership of Ray Kroc. The year before Kroc purchased the McDonald brothers have the right to be the exclusive agent for franchising. It is not surprising that the main corporate museum has been created in Des Plaines. It is completely recreated the situation of corporate establishments in 1955: authentic cooking equipment and bottling beverages, interior design and clothes "officers", which act as mannequins. Unfortunately, this all highlights of the museum ends, and it works only in the summer season. In 2007 the company opened a new museum dedicated to its most famous burger - Big Mac.

London Guild watchmakers Museum (England, London)

How to find: The Clockmakers' Museum, Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH

Working hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30-16.45, closed on Sundays and national holidays

Entrance fee: none

History watchmakers guild of London dates back to the period of primitive accumulation of capital: it was founded in 1631 during the reign of Charles I Stuart. Its products are purchased the elite of English society, the Royal Navy and various government departments. In 1813, when the guild was decided to organize the library, which was designed to collect all the most important documents related to the production hours in the United Kingdom. This date is considered the year of the museum and library Guild watchmakers - the oldest corporate museum in the world. Already in 1814 it was added to the manuscripts and the best work of watchmakers. Today, the watch collection of the Museum is second only to a similar meeting of the Greenwich Observatory.

Zippo Museum of History (Bradfort, Pennsylvania, USA)

How to find: Zippo-Case Museum, 1932 Zippo Drive

Working hours: Monday to Saturday 9.00-17.00, Sunday 11.00-16.00, closed on some national holidays

Entrance fee: none

"Zippo" was founded in the midst of the Great Depression - in 1932. Not all then had the opportunity to buy a lighter for $ 1, 95. However, its entry into the market can be compared with the advent of the iPhone these days: the production and sales grew in an arithmetic progression. And with the beginning of World War II at "Zippo" and there was the most important customer - US Army purchased lighters for all the armed forces. The image of the "gallant" American soldier lights a product from this firm, firmly entrenched in the history and in popular culture. Military items "Zippo" take their deserved place of honor in the corporate Museum of company.

Visitors Center Microsoft (United States, Washington, Redmond)

How to find: Microsoft Visitor Center, 15010 NE 36th Street, Microsoft Campus, Building 92, Redmond

Working hours: Monday-Friday 9.00-17.00, closed on weekends and national holidays

Admission: no, but it is advisable to agree on a visit in advance

History of Microsoft and its founder Bill Gates is known even among people very far by IT-topics, because it became a symbol of the American dream and technological progress. The purpose of the visitors' center at the company - to talk about it, the products manufactured at different times on the company's values. In terms of design the exhibition center reminiscent of a similar facility corporation Intel: modern interior design and maximum interactivity.

the Guinness Museum (Dublin, Ireland)

How to find: Guinness storehouse, St James's Gate, Dublin 8 Open daily 9.30-17.00, closed on national holidays

Admission: Adults - € 16, 5, students aged 18 years and older - € 13, students up to 18 years - € 10, 5, children 6 to 12 years - € 6, 5, family - € 40

Irish people very reverent attitude to beer, and the museum "Guinness" vivid proof. Its founders came to the design and organization of the exhibition with the utmost seriousness. The opening of the museum in 2000 created a furor: visitors waited in the atrium of the art installations on the theme of beer and, of course, no less spectacular bar with a panoramic view of Dublin. The museum is located in none other, and in an old building built in the brewing plant in 1902. It was empty for many years, and the organization of the museum it actually saved it from demolition. Today beer museum "Guinness" has become a popular destination among tourists visiting the Irish capital - despite the rather high entrance fee. At one time it even honored with a visit by Queen Elizabeth II (pictured).

Visitors Center Hallmark (United States, Missouri, Kansas City)

How to find: Hallmark Visitors' Center, Crown Center Complex, 2501 McGee, Kansas City

Working hours: Monday-Friday 10.00-16.30, Saturday 9.30-16.30, closed on Sundays and national holidays

Entrance fee: none

Is it possible to make a successful multinational business greeting cards and gifts? More than a century of experience of Hallmark proves that it is possible. In 1910, the young entrepreneur Joyce Hall began his business with boxes of a shoe, brim full of greeting cards - with her-and began the history of Hallmark. What are the only prominent artists and illustrators were not involved in creating cards for this company! Among them were such geniuses of the last century, Salvador Dali, Saul Steinberg and Norman Rockwell. Their work takes pride of place in the visitors' center, set up to preserve the cultural heritage of the company and to attract public attention to it.

66 Phillips Petroleum Company Museum (United States, Oklahoma, Bartlesville)

How to find: 66 Phillips Petroleum Company Museum, 410 Keeler, Bartlesville

Working hours: Monday to Saturday 10.00-16.00, closed on Sundays and national holidays

Entrance fee: none

Company "Phillips Petroleum" was founded in 1917 and its corporate museum was opened after 90 years. It in detail describes the sometimes very complicated history of the formation and development of oil and gas giant, which had everything from lawsuits to mergers and acquisitions. For example, just five years before the creation of the museum merged "Phillips Petroleum" with the corporation "Conoco" and education "ConocoPhillips" company, and in 2012 it was separated from the unit, which became an independent company - "Philips 66". The greatest interest in the museum are materials about exploration in the United States, the creation of the very first petrol stations and development of aviation fuel for the first airplanes.

Beer Museum Sapporo (Japan, Hokkaido, Sapporo)

How to find: Sapporo Beer Museum, North 7, East 9, Higashi-ku, Sapporo

Mode of operation: Monday-Sunday 9.00-18.00, closed on Mondays and national holidays

Entrance fee: none

Beer appeared in Japan relatively recently - in the beginning of the Meiji era (1868-1912 gg.). Then Japan flooded the foreign experts hired by the government to carry out reforms, and without them first in Hokkaido and the country's first brewery was built. Moreover, they are often designed for the government account - so, too, brewery originally owned by the state in Sapporo. In 1886, ten years since its inception it has been privatized, and the factory was built in exactly four years, where today is located a corporate company museum. It opened in 1987, and it tells not only about the history of the corporation, but also about the formation of the brewing industry in the country.

Coca-Cola Museum (United States, Georgia, Atlanta)

How to find: The World of Coca-Cola, 121 Baker Street NW, Atlanta

Open daily 10.00-18.30, closed on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day

Admission: adults (13-64 years) - $ 16, seniors (64 years) - $ 14, children 3-12 years - $ 12

Initially, the museum dedicated to the Coca-Cola, located in suburban Atlanta. It was opened in 1991 and worked for 16 years, during which time he has visited more than 9 million people. But over time, the museum has demanded a new building and modernization of the exhibition and in 2007 found a new home - it was ultra-modern complex in Pemberton Place. To the former exhibits interactive panels were added and attractions, the most popular of which can be called so-called "Storage secret formula" - a huge bank vault within which is mysterious formula Coke. Also enjoyed success Gallery pop culture: it exhibits works by Andy Warhol, Howard Finster and other artists created "under the influence" of the beverage.