Computer History Museum Opens Extended Reality Exhibit
The Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mountain View, California, will open “Extended Reality: Visions of the Future” on 1 October 2026. The exhibition will explore the development of extended reality (XR), its growing integration with artificial intelligence (AI), and wearable devices designed to help people see, interpret, and interact with the world around them.
Running through 28 March 2027, the exhibition will feature more than 100 XR devices and artefacts. The collection spans pioneering technologies from the late 1960s, early commercial systems from the 1980s, and modern headsets and smart glasses.
The exhibition draws on key objects from the Computer History Museum’s collection and private holdings. It traces the ideas, experimentation and innovation behind virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality, while also examining how AI is changing wearable computing.
The AI-focused part of the exhibition will examine how wearable devices can understand context, interpret visual and spoken information, and respond more naturally to users. It will also examine the latest generation of wearable technology through the combination of miniaturisation, ergonomics, fashion and AI, and consider whether those developments represent a new computing frontier.
Meta, Google and Applied Materials support the exhibition. Technologies and innovations from the three companies are among those associated with the development of extended reality and wearable computing.
“Extended Reality: Visions of the Future” was developed in collaboration with Bernard Kress and Rachel Tan, co-organisers of Next Computing Frontier. The exhibition combines Computer History Museum artefacts with devices from their private holdings. The objects cover decades of experimentation in wearable technology, including systems created for research and development, video games, sports, work, daily life and assistive technology.
Nearly 15 million smart glasses were shipped worldwide in 2025, reflecting the scale of the recent growth in wearable computing described in the exhibition.
Among the exhibits is Ivan Sutherland’s pioneering head-mounted three-dimensional display, associated with the early development of virtual reality. A prototype EyePhone from VPL Research is also included, representing early efforts to bring virtual reality into practical use.
The exhibition also features Google Glass prototypes, Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, Apple’s Vision Pro and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The collection also includes Meta’s Aria Gen 1 and Gen 2 research devices.
Other objects include rare headsets, glasses, goggles, monocles, helmets and other wearable technologies spanning research, entertainment, industry, accessibility and everyday computing. The collection shows how wearable technology has been developed for a range of uses and environments over several decades.
Contemporary devices in the exhibition demonstrate the role of computer vision, natural-language interaction and contextual AI in expanding the capabilities of wearable systems. These examples form part of the exhibition’s examination of how newer wearable technologies are incorporating AI alongside developments in XR.
Visitors can also explore a timeline of XR technology and watch brief interviews with pioneers in the field. On selected dates, the programme will include hands-on opportunities involving emerging extended reality systems and interactive demonstrations of XR and AI-enabled wearables.
