SIM City 2000 Special Edition: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a retail copy of the 1996 PC computer video game Sim City 2000 Special Edition by Will Wright and Ed Hein, published by Electronic Arts and developed by Maxis. This game is a city simulation game that allows a user to participate in all elements of planning, constructing, and managing a virtual municipal territory. The object includes a CD-ROM containing the software for the game stored within a CD jewel case. The CD-ROM face has an image of an alien spaceship with mechanical claws and features printed signatures of Will Wright and Ed Hein on the lower half of the disk adjacent to the official Maxis logo. Also included is an 18-page installation guide which gives technical requirements and troubleshooting tips for three different operating systems: Windows 95, Windows 3.x and DOS. The minimum specifications for operating the game on Windows 95 is as follows: IBM or 100% compatible 486 or above; Windows 95; 8 MB RAM; Hard drive 16 MB free required for complete installation; Graphics card and monitor capable of displaying 640x480x256 colors (512 video RAM); Double-speed CD-ROM drive; Windows-compatible sound cards supported, MIDI support required for music; Windows compatible printers supported.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1996
• maker: EA Maxis
• Object Name: video game
• Physical Description: metal; plastic (cdrom disk material)
• Physical Description: plastic (jewel case material)
• Measurements: cd-rom disk: 4 3/4 in; 12.065 cm
• Measurements: jewel case: 5 in x 5 9/16 in x 13/32 in; 12.7 cm x 14.097 cm x 1.016 cm
• Measurements: quick start guide: 8 1/2 in x 7 in; 21.59 cm x 17.78 cm
• place made: United States
• place made: United States
• ID Number: 2016.3016.43
• catalog number: 2016.3016.43
• nonaccession number: 2016.3016
• Credit Line: Judy Gradwohl
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.