San Jose Museums

The Children's Discovery Museum is located in Sanas the "Civic Art Gallery".
Jose, California. The museum opened in June 1990The oldest part of the Museum was originally built as
and is located on Woz Way. "Woz" is a nickname forthe San Jose post office in 1892, and then served as
Steve Wozniak who is one of the co-founders ofthe city's library from 1937 to 1969. In 1972 the
Apple Computer. The museum is housed in abuilding was named a California Historical Landmark
distinctive 52,000 square foot purple building, designed(#854), and in 1973 it was added to the National
by architect Ricardo Legorreta. The museum isRegister of Historic Places. The "New Wing",
geared toward children who can interact directly withcomprising the majority of the current exhibition
various hands-on exhibits.space, opened in 1991.
History Park at Kelley Park (or just History Park) inThe permanent collection focuses on 20th- and
San Jose, California, USA is designed as an indoor21st-century art, with a focus on US West Coast
outdoor museum, arranged to appear as a small USartists and a growing emphasis on art of the Pacific
town might have in the early 1900s. Since itsRim. The collection includes more than 2,000 works in
inauguration in 1971, 29 historic buildings and othera variety of media, including sculpture, paintings,
landmarks have either been moved from their originalprints, digital media, photographs, and drawings by
San Jose locations or are represented by replicas.artists such as Robert Arneson, Milton Avery,
Period exhibits include a doctor's office, a dentist'sGregory Barsamian, Joan Brown, Deborah Butterfield,
office (complete with an old foot-pedal-powered drill),Jim Campbell, Enrique Chagoya, Dale Chihuly, Ron
fruit barn, blacksmith shed, a livery stable (USDavis, Jay DeFeo, Roy DeForest, Tony Delap,
terminology for a business that rented outRichard Diebenkorn, Jim Dine, Rupert Garcia, Philip
horse-drawn carriages), a working print shop, a gasGuston, Oliver Jackson, Hung Liu, Michael McMillen,
station, the Pacific Hotel, the Empire Fire House, theManuel Neri, Long Nguyen, Manuel Ocampo, Nathan
Bank of Italy (precursor to the Bank of America), aOliveira, Deborah Oropallo, Alan Rath, Raymond
one-room schoolhouse, and a number of houses ofSaunders, Richard Shaw, Wayne Thiebaud, Bill Viola,
early Santa Clara Valley settlers. The fruit barn notand William Wiley.
only has many farm implements and devices fromhe Tech Museum of Innovation, or simply The Tech,
the period, but also displays hundreds of photographsis a museum located in the heart of Silicon Valley, in
documenting the area's development.downtown San Jose, California USA. Focusing on
Other attractions include a 115-foot scale replica oftechnology and its effects, The Tech serves as an
the San Jose Electric Light Tower that used to towerimportant educational and cultural resource for
237 feet over downtown San Jose, the Portuguesetourists and local residents alike.
Historical Museum, the Ng Shing Gung Temple, and aPlanning began in 1978, and the first 20,000 square
post office.foot (2,000 m²) temporary exhibit finally opened
The "Trolley Barn" houses restored antique trolleys,in 1990. In October of 1998, it opened a brand new
both horse-drawn and electric, and automobiles, both132,000 square feet (12,000 m²) facility, and has
gasoline and battery powered, along with otherhad 2,800,000 visitors.
antique trolleys and cars awaiting restoration.The museum is composed of three floors, each with
On March 13, 2005 another newly renovated buildingits own significance. The ground floor has the main
was opened to the public, housing the Leonard andentrance, a gift shop and cafe, the Imax theater, and
David McKay Gallery, containing a collection ofa recreational area that is reserved for special events.
paintings of people, buildings, and landscapes from inThe second floor focuses on permanent exhibits that
and around San Jose.often become modified, and the below- ground floor
Weekdays, tours are offered by paid staff, oftencontains areas for temporary exhibits that are usually
for local students on class field trips. On weekends,changed.
selected exhibit buildings are staffed on a rotatingThe Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater (named after
schedule by volunteers, who also operate a vintageMike and Joan Hackworth) is one of the popular
trolley over the length of the park, including underfeatures, and shows a wide variety of movies (such
the Light Tower replica.as Harry Potter, The Polar Express, Roving Mars) and
The San Jose Museum of Art is a museum ineducational films.
Downtown San Jose, California, USA, founded in 1969