Apple turns 50 as new Atlanta exhibit showcases decades of innovation

Apple turns 50 on April 1, and if you have ever owned an iPod,  Mac, or iPhone, there’s a good chance it’s inside a new exhibit opening on Apple’s birthday.

“Inspire: 50 Years of Innovation From Apple” opens Wednesday at the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, and it’s packed with nearly 2,000 products and artifacts.

Inside the exhibit, Apple’s story comes to life.

For museum founders Lonnie and Karin Mimms, it’s a story they have been building for 40 years, collecting nearly every apple product ever created. 

But they don’t just want to show the world, they want to educate and inspire.

“We want people to come through these doors and to get an idea and say, okay, I’ve had an idea, I want to go do it,” said Karin Mimms.

Walk through and you see the evolution, starting with items owned by Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and their yearbooks.

“How did we get here? How did they start this company? They had a passion and we want to show that,” said Karin Mimms.

The artifacts date back to 1973, the oldest being the second check written to create the company.

Then there’s the products everyone knows and loves, from the “jelly bean” computer in every color, to every model of the iPod in every color.

The exhibit also intends to grow, featuring Apple’s latest products such the Vision Pro goggles.

The iPods are displayed across a wall, and it’s a big showstopper.

“Everybody loves this wall because if you’re of this era, you’ve had one of these at some point,” said Karin Mimms.

Every model lines up like a snapshot in time, in chronological order of creation, not only to tell a story, but to create new stories.

“When they leave here, it would be nice to think that you know in a dramatic case that some kid literally, you know, starts looking at what might end up being a career for them,” said Lonnie Mimms.