The LOAD ZX Museum, located in Cantanhede, Portugal, is a unique institution dedicated to the preservation and celebration of computer and video game history. It is regarded as the first museum in the world devoted to honouring the legacy of the ZX Spectrum, and one of the few in Portugal focused entirely on computing heritage.
Created through a partnership between the Municipality of Cantanhede and the non-profit Associação Geração SPECTRUM, the museum houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of objects produced by Sir Clive Sinclair’s companies — a distinction recognised by the Sinclair family. Its permanent exhibition traces the evolution of computing and the profound cultural impact of the ZX Spectrum microcomputer, particularly through the work of TIMEX Portugal, whose local factory helped bring personal computing into homes around the world. The museum also preserves one of the few surviving examples of Portugal’s first computer: the ENER 1000, developed at the University of Coimbra.
Beyond its exhibition, the LOAD ZX Museum has become an active promoter of computing heritage. Its initiatives include the recovery of the long-lost TIMEX Educational Network (TENET) system, developed in 1986, and the co-production of documentaries such as TIMEX: The Untold Revolution (RTP2, Portugal), broadcast on national television. The museum is also a recognised international player in the field, as demonstrated, for example, by its participation in the British documentary The Rubber-Keyed Wonder.
The museum also develops partnerships aimed at promoting game studies and the preservation of software and hardware. One such example is the collaboration that led to the publication of the book The Portuguese Programmers (Os Programadores Portugueses), authored by André Luna Leão, founder of the Planeta Sinclair blog and head of software preservation at the museum.
At the museum, visitors can explore a specialised library and an interactive kiosk featuring digitised computing magazines and newspapers from the 1980s and 1990s, developed in partnership with the Lisbon Municipal Archive.
Formally recognised by Portugal’s Ministry of Culture as a project of Cultural Interest, the LOAD ZX Museum continues to grow as a local initiative with international reach, sustained by the enthusiasm of its community and partners. With free admission, it welcomes visitors of all ages to explore the early days of personal computing and the enduring appeal of classic games — preserving this shared heritage for present and future generations.