The collection of 3,500 items includes the first computer designed by Sir Clive Sinclair
A Swindon museum set up in a room of a university has been granted full accreditation by the Arts Council.
The Museum of Computing has more than 3,500 items relating to the history of computers over the past 40 years.
It was given space at the University of Bath in Swindon in 2003 but was forced to move to new premises in 2009 when the university withdrew from Swindon.
Curator Simon Webb said the award was "the culmination of years of work to bring it up to professional standards".
The museum, which claims to be the first physical museum in the UK dedicated to the history of computing, was put into storage for 18 months before reopening in the town centre in 2009.
Its collection includes a 1989 Nintendo Power Glove, with motion-controlled sensor technology which failed to catch on, and the first computer designed by Sir Clive Sinclair.
'People should know'
"There are two other computing museums in the UK but we felt Swindon, as a centre of engineering excellence, was the right place to do our museum," said Mr Webb.
"And people should know about the history of computing and how rapidly it's involving, that's why we started."
The Accreditation Scheme is a benchmark for museums, setting nationally agreed standards in collection care, public services and museum management.
"It's a great status for us. In practical terms it means we can borrow exhibits from other museums and it opens up other revenue sources for us," said Mr Webb.
"We are a completely not-for-profit museum run by volunteers and we get no local authority or government funding so accreditation is a real help towards long term sustainability of the museum."
