Microsoft Visitor Center

This recently revamped and relocated facility showcases Microsoft products, past and present, and offers a chance to play Xbox 360 games on a giant screen. Across the hall is the company store, also recently relocated, where the public can buy merchandise but not software or hardware, which are sold at an employee discount.

Exhibits include a display of technology history, such as the Altair 8800 that inspired Bill Gates and Paul Allen to start the company. Nearby is a giant illuminated globe with a ticker that tracks the number of Windows and Office users worldwide.

After visiting this building, check out the new Entertainment & Devices campus a short walk to the north. It’s the home of the Xbox, Zune and other Microsoft consumer products teams, with big office buildings clustered around an upscale shopping mall and soccer pitch.

Details: Microsoft Building 92; 15010 NE 36th Street, Redmond. The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. More details and information here.

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