High Tech Museums in the Silicon Valley:
Computer History Museum
Museum founded in 1996 to preserve, protect, and present
stories and artifacts related to the computer revolution
and the period sometimes referred to as the "information age".
Located at 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View.
For more information contact 650-810-1010.
Tech Museum of Innovation
Hands-on technology and science museum for
visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Features
several topic-specific exhibit galleries and
an IMAX theater. Located at 201 South Market Street in San Jose.
For operating hours and other information call 408-294-8324.
Intel Museum
Museum featuring exhibits related to the history of the Intel company,
its products, and semiconductor technology in general. First
opened to the public in 1992 and significantly expanded in 1999.
Located on the grounds of Intel's headquarters at
2200 Mission College Boulevard in Santa Clara.
For operating hours and other information call 408-765-0503.
NASA Ames Exploration Center
Science museum and education center of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration. Features displays and interactive exhibits
related to NASA's space missions, including moon rocks, meteorites,
and other geologic samples. Also has a theater showing film footage
of NASA's space exploration missions. Located at Moffett Field in Mountain View,
near the intersection of Highway 101 and Moffett Boulevard (aka NASA Parkway).
For operating hours or other information call 650-604-6274.
High Tech Tours in the Silicon Valley:
SLAC Accelerator Laboratory Tours
Tours of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory's
2 mile long linear accelerator are offered several
times a month for visitors age 12 and above. Visitors
between 12 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory was originally
known as the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
The main entrance to SLAC is located on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park,
just east of Interstate Highway 280, about three miles
west of Stanford University.
Historic Sites in the Silicon Valley:
Hewlett Packard Garage
This garage at 367 Addison Avenue in
Palo Alto is sometimes referred to as the
"birthplace of Silicon Valley" because it
was the site college friends
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard used
as their research lab, development workshop,
and manufacturing facility for the products
made by Hewlett-Packard, the company they
founded in 1939.
Shockley Semiconductor Labs Memorial Sign
Wikipedia article and photograph of a sign commemorating
the former location of the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory,
the first company to work on semiconductor devices in the
Santa Clara Valley region that later became known as the Silicon Valley.
Shockley Transistor Company founder, physicist William Shockley (1910-1989),
opened the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in Mountain View in 1956.
Other High Tech Silicon Valley Attractions:
Apple World Headquarters Company Store
This is not a shop that sells iPods iPhones, personal computers
or other Apple electronics, it is the original Apple employee store
that sells Apple logo products such as t-shirts, caps, mugs,
and other accessories. Open to the public and located at
One Infinite Loops in Cupertino. For operating hours and other
information call 408-974-5050.
Google Online Company Store
Last I heard, there was no physical company store opened
to the public at the Google World Headquarters campus in Mountain View (aka the GooglePlex)
but they do have an online store where Google logo merchandise
can be purchased.
All Types of Silicon Valley Attractions:
Directories of Silicon Valley Attractions
-
Santa Clara County Attractions
-
San Mateo County Attractions
-
Wikipedia "Silicon Valley Attractions" List
Santa Clara County Travel Guide
South San Francisco Bay Area
All San Francisco Bay Area
Northern California Travel Guide
