Located in downtown San Jose so parking on a weekend can be tough to find on the street or pricy in nearby garages. Inside the museum is pretty great. It's a compact place with exhibits across 3 floors. And an IMAX theater showing short movies. The schedule was posted by the theater entrance. They even have popcorn like a real movie theater. IMO The exhibits would be for kids 8 and up. It's great that the tech exhibits have tech and biotech. The interactive stations are great for kids to focus and learn. It would probably take a solid 3 hours during low crowd time to try everything. It is a place where kids roam and touch everything so some surfaces will be sticky or gross feeling. Staff at the museum were all very friendly and helpful. Overall, the place was inviting with lots of great learning and info for everyone interested. read more

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Uniqueness: Sadly, a lot of the original exhibits and contraptions have been replaced. But at least the Human Body Exhibit is still here! Wait Time: [x][x][x][x][x] Service: [x][x][x][x][ ] Setting: [x][x][ ][ ][ ] Cost: [x][x][x][ ][ ] Recommendation? Sadly, for a musuem recommendation for the kids, it feels quite limited in what they have to offer and other museums in the Bay Area have more to do for the kids and even the adults. I was quite disappointed at how much has changed at the Tech Initiative (not Tech Museum) recently. It felt like a lot of the key exhibits and attractions of the museum have been replaced or lost vs what it used to be a couple years ago. The museum felt unusually more spacious i.e. a lot of empty space than before due to exhibits being removed and interestingly, it felt slightly outdated. The Human Body exhibit was still there so that was nice to walk through and the Rube Goldberg exhibit outside was exactly as it was years back. The gift store was pricey and didn't have as much interesting gifts but the IMAX show felt just like before & was included in the admission, which was nice. With all the changes that this museum has gone through, I unfortunately won't be coming back here in a while until there's something new that's rolling through. read more

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Having visited science and tech museums both domestically and internationally, The Tech Interactive is a fun spot for children but it really leaves a bit more to be desired. Tickets were $40 for adults, which is a premium. Some attractions included exhibits to build robots and revisit the childhood experiences of building a roller coaster, working with shapes, and seeing how coding and cryptology work. Those were all housed in the basement, while the biology section was on the top floor. A few frustration points were that some of the machines were either not working or had no instructions. There were at times background, but with so many exhibits, the experiential learning is quite high-pressure. Although I visited with another friend, we both could see the frustration with other parents who also couldn't solve some of the puzzles. Additionally, some of the exhibits were very difficult and/or laggy, and required a full restart upon failure. read more

I had a lovely time at the Tech at Nite: Love Lab this past Thursday, a special adult-only Valentine's event. I mainly just come here for the IMAX dome theater, so this was a nice opportunity to do something different at the venue. Parked at the Convention Center garage for $5 with parking validation at the Tech. Colorful lighting and music set the mood inside, a DJ playing upbeat tunes, and both the lower and upper level were filled with activities for attendees, with minimal wait times for most experiences. We enjoyed wine-tasting with Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards, a complimentary glass (or two) offered at one of the tables. We created our own light and art project through a mixture of food coloring, dye, and cooking oils, courtesy of Local Color. We also personalized fragrance sprays with Ashy Aromas (an organization known for customized scented candles). In terms of the museum offerings, a couple of the interactive displays were not in working order, such as in the Space Exploration section. But there was still a lot for us to see and do during our visit. Plenty of hands-on stations, the museum exhibits geared toward kids, with some so simple and straightforward that it would probably only be educational or amusing to very young children. But for this adult-only night, we had fun interacting with the exhibits without any kids around. This included building a more sustainable city, sorting compost, recycling, and trash, and seeing nature-themed graphics emulate our movements in the AI-enabled immersive Dream Garden. The Innovator was cool too, a simulation ride where guests could design and enjoy their own roller coaster adventure. We also engaged in a "doctor and patient communication" activity in the Innovation in Healthcare section. And we checked out the Body Worlds Decoded exhibit, even though I've already seen this in Vegas. The event offered limited food options, but the items we got were delicious, apparently catered by Smashing Dishes. We had the Lover's Grazing Plate, a charcuterie snack (which came with meat, cheese, crackers, nuts, and fruit), Cupid's Caprese (made with yummy pesto and adorable heart-shaped mozzarella), and fresh baked cookies (we wanted both chocolate chip and peanut butter, but they accidentally gave us both chocolate chip). Unfortunately, the candy cocktails were not good, particularly the "love potion #14" on the menu which lacked flavor or any kind of sweetness. Luckily, they also offered canned beverages and wine. All in all, it was a great Vday pre-celebration for me and my bf. read more

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Decided to stop by on a summer day, I haven't returned here in a while. There are a good amount of things to do. Definitely lots of activities for younger ones, however super informational for older ones as well! read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

This place used to be my favorite growing up. With lots of cutting edge technology, and interactive hands on exhibits, there used to be so much to touch, see and learn about. I visited recently with my brother for some nostalgia and we were extremely disappointed by the exhibits. Barebones exhibits with touchscreens that barely worked. I could go on about all the things you used to be able to climb on, play with, and watch light up. Even the gift shop was just cheap junk and not the cool science based toys and puzzles you could get back in the day. Sadly I wouldn't recommend this museum to anyone :( read more

We spent a rainy day at **The Tech Interactive**, and it turned out to be the perfect indoor activity. There are so many hands-on, interactive exhibits that keep both kids and adults engaged. From design challenges to tech-focused simulations, everything encourages you to touch, build, experiment, and explore rather than just observe. What really stood out was the staff. They were incredibly helpful, patient, and genuinely enthusiastic about explaining how the exhibits worked. Whenever we had questions or needed guidance, someone was nearby and happy to help, which made the experience even better. It's easily a place where you can spend hours without realizing it--especially on a rainy day when you need something fun, educational, and indoors. Definitely a go-to spot in San Jose for interactive learning and family fun. read more

The Tech Interactive - Learning action and reaction.. - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

Wow, there is a LOT to do! I could bring my four year old for 5 days straight and we still wouldn't been able to cover the exhibits. There are three or four levels of exploration and an IMAX theatre cycling through four movies throughout the day. They choose IMAX movies that are blockbusters like Superman, or informative pieces for the kiddos. My daughter loved the fossil movie, the fungus movie, and the blue angels movie. Some of the really cool exhibits include building your own rollercoaster then experiencing the ride with 4D effects. Another one was an interactive city that would respond to a dial that indicated the level of trash your city would build. My daughter loved to paint on a digital screen with a stylist that emulated a paintbrush. She also loved the interactive plant growing in reaction to gaining sunlight and water from its environment. We stayed at each exhibit for 10-12 minutes. read more

The Tech Interactive - Plant interaction. - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

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I absolutely love The Tech Interactive. The exhibits here are incredible and easily keep my son engaged for hours. We've also really enjoyed the IMAX documentary films we've seen over the years, though my son usually prefers to maximize every single minute exploring the main floors instead of sitting in the theater! Some of our favorite memories here are from the special science-themed winter activities. We loved the "build a snow globe" activity so much a while back that we actually came back the very next week just to do it again. If I have to nitpick, there are a few things that could be improved: * Pricing: Ticket prices increased earlier this year due to funding needs, which is a bit tough on the wallet. * Maintenance: Sometimes the interactive exhibits get stuck and require a hard reboot. Even the newer installations face this: the "Innovation in Bloom" exhibit that opened this year already had broken parts just a month after launching. This still hasn't been fixed. * Staffing: When things do freeze up, it can be quite a challenge to track down an employee to help. Overall, it's still an amazing educational spot that we love visiting, but a little more attention to exhibit maintenance and floor staffing would go a long way! read more

The Tech Interactive - Innovation in bloom. The "ball storm" has been broken forever. - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

We came here for a field trip on a Friday, and it did not feel crowded. There are so many activities to keep all the students engaged. The lower floor had so many fun activities like building a robot or creating a roller coaster ride. The IMAX was closed during this visit. We were also looking forward to the space -jet pack exhibit, but it was also closed. Overall, I highly recommend the Tech Interactive. read more

Looking for something to do in DT San Jose? This interactive museum is a great way to spend a couple of hours. Whether you bring your kids or check it out yourself, there's much to learn! I had so much fun! read more

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A bit of an update. We came as an activity for the niece. She's 8 years old. I still hold to the fact that the Tech Museum is for the kids. Some of the exhibits feel like they're for kids that are a bit older. As long as there are adults to help out the little ones. But I think in the end, she did enjoy herself. We did end up parking at the Convention Center and paying the fee and walking over to the museum. They still have Body Worlds which is still very cool in my eyes. They also had a simulator for cities around the bay to see how things could be if you add more green areas or type of public transportation. They also had a living garden which was fun to play around with the visuals. The Tech is good, I wouldn't take very young kids as some things would go over their heads. But almost teens might enjoy themselves. read more

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We went to check out Tech Interactive yesterday and it was so much fun! It was our first time going there and it was so interactive. As soon as we got there we were saw a bridge making station. They explained that we had to make a bridge that connected two land forms and we were given a base but we could use any other materials that were at the station. It was a fun stem activity and an indication that me and my husband do not do well problem solving together, haha. Time flew by really quick when we were at that station and we were there for about an hour trying to construct a bridge. We ran out of time and had to go to the IMAX show that came with our ticket purchase. The IMAX was about Dinosaurs through time. They had a refreshment booth outside of the theatre so we bought a bag of popcorn and an Icee. The theatre is a dome shape so you really have to get used to looking all around when watching the show. The show was good and interesting but I think it was a little too high level for my daughter, I think she was getting dizzy too from the movie. Overall though, I liked it and I hope we come back again. After the show finished, we walked around some more. There are three levels and each one had. They had different interesting things to observe. My daughter tried making a roller coaster and then played it on the big screen. They even had seats where you could sit to experience your rollercoaster as it played on the big screen. There was also a small room that taught us all about how auroras were made. He showed us different elements and put it close to the flame to show the changing colors. My favorite exhibit was the body exhibits. I liked that because you could really see the difference between a healthy organ and an unhealthy one. It was kind of scary to see how much damage cancer and smoking can do to your body. read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

We purchased a membership this year for our family with kids 5 and 7. I would say there's enough to keep my kids entertained for an hour or two but there's so much that's geared for older kids that have the patience to read and comprehend the complicated exhibits. A lot of the exhibits center around screens which isn't ideal for my family situation (I prefer more hands-on, physical, and creative options). Every time I visit I am taken aback by how unfriendly the staff at the entrance table is (where they take your tickets), which sets a weird vibe for our visits. The management should absolutely be looking into that. read more

Great museum, not overcrowded at all! I attended a field trip with my students and this place was amazing! The staff was very kind. If I wanted to leave to go eat at the cafe and come back into the museum, they were lenient about it. I like that they had a separate space in Adventure Hall for the kiddos to eat. My favorite part of the museum was the IMAX theater. We watched the one on Blue Whales, which relaxed me and made me sleepy, in a good way :) Would definitely return here again. They have a cute lil gift shop too with all kinds of goodies. read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

I came here for an event and wanted to love it, but this place just wasn't for me. Most of the activities were not the most user friendly, and the exhibits didn't feel as "quality" as I was expecting. Maybe my expectations were too high... The bodies exhibit was definitely unique and interesting to see, but overall not something I would do again. read more

The Tech is a hands-on science museum that will appeal most strongly to families with children. There is a lot for kids to see and do. Always check the website for current information, but at this writing, the Dream Garden exhibit lets you play in an AI room and learn about this emerging technology. I saw a film about blue whales in the IMAX Dome. It was really good, and the IMAX experience of this type is incredible. You get one film with your admission. The café and concession stand are overpriced, but that's typical for a museum. At least you know you're supporting their programs. Food quality is good, but not outstanding. read more

**The Tech Interactive** is such a **great spot for kids** (and curious adults too!). It's one of those rare places where learning actually feels like play--**tons of interactive exhibits**, colorful displays, and hands-on science fun around every corner. They do an awesome job making tech and science **engaging without being too hands-off**--kids can build, explore, test things out, and really *interact* with the content. It's perfect for curious minds and energy-filled little ones. They also **regularly host family-friendly shows and events**, which makes each visit feel a little different. Definitely check the calendar before you go--it's worth timing your trip with one of those special programs. The only downside? **Parking can be tricky**, especially on weekends or event days. Plan ahead or take public transit if you can--it'll save you some stress. Overall, it's a super fun and educational way to spend the day, especially if you've got kids in tow! read more

Place seemed really cool and had a great time with the stuff we were able to see / do. Got there about 1 hour before closing and got tickets without realizing or anyone telling us that they were closing soon which was frustrating. read more

Free for Bank of America customers every first weekend of the month The Tech Museum is always a good time. I love how it's always state-of-the-art, educational, and they're always changing the exhibits, while keeping some regular ones. I saw human poop while I was walking to the museum, but parking on the street is free on Sundays. I got through two floors worth of exhibits and chilled on the balcony in two hours. The exhibits range from reading and looking at models from the body to interactable like moving a rover or saving a virtual community from the effects of pollution and global warming. read more

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I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding our recent visit to your science museum. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell far below the standard we expect from an institution dedicated to children's education and family engagement. From the moment we arrived, we encountered an unwelcoming and unprofessional attitude at the ticket counter. The male staff member assisting us did not greet us with "How may I help you?" or any standard customer service courtesy. Instead, he simply asked, "What?" in a cold and dismissive tone, which immediately set an uncomfortable and negative tone for our visit. When I informed him of the number of people in our group and asked whether we could use a Museums for All benefit, his attitude became even more hostile. He responded in a condescending manner, emphasizing that the benefit did not include ice skating or the movie. While I fully understand that certain attractions may not be included, the way this information was delivered felt disrespectful and judgmental. When I tried to ask about the prices of the additional activities, he appeared impatient and unwilling to assist. As a result, we entered the museum already feeling discouraged and unwelcome. Throughout the visit, this negative experience continued. Several staff members seemed excessively strict and suspicious toward children, as though they expected them to damage exhibits rather than enjoy them. On one occasion, a staff member even told my child, "I think your kids are too young for this," which was deeply inappropriate and unkind. A children's science museum should be inclusive, encouraging, and supportive--not dismissive toward young visitors. Later, when my child became hungry, we sat briefly on a bench near the elevator while he ate half a banana. We were not having a full meal, nor opening packaged food like burgers or fries--just a small piece of fruit for a child. Nonetheless, we were told that eating was not allowed on that floor and that we had to go all the way to the restaurant area. While I understand the need for cleanliness, this level of enforcement toward a child eating half a banana felt unnecessarily rigid and lacking in compassion. At that point, I was extremely frustrated and upset. We chose to leave early, even though we had paid for a full visit, because the environment felt unwelcoming and stressful rather than educational and enjoyable. We frequently visit museums and science centers with our children, and we have never experienced such poor service and uncomfortable treatment anywhere else. It is especially disappointing because your exhibits clearly reflect a great deal of care, creativity, and effort by the teams who designed them. Unfortunately, that work is undermined by inadequate front-line staff training and poor guest engagement. I sincerely urge your management team to review staff conduct, customer service standards, and child-friendly policies. A science museum should be a place where families feel welcomed, respected, and excited to learn -- not judged, rushed, or made to feel like a burden. Thank you for taking the time to review this feedback. I truly hope meaningful improvements will be made so that other families do not experience what we did. read more

Being a San Jose Native, I'm happy to announce that I've finally taken my kids to the Tech Interactive today to attend the Tech or Treat event to celebrate upcoming Halloween. This year on Halloween marks 35 years of existence and I can say what a great way to highlight the Silicon Valley! My kids enjoyed the day stopping at stations to get Halloween themed toys, Halloween crafts, and exploring technology! Such a great time! And don't forget about the really nice IMAX theater! read more

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We went for the polar experience. I would definitely say this appeals to an older audience for at least the time that we went. The activities offered for a 2,4,5, and 7 year old were minimal. There were some activities that required a wait due to capacity. It was cool, but I wouldn't come back until our kids are a lot older and have a longer attention span. Also note that they are specific on where to park to get validation. Unfortunately I did not research this beforehand so make sure you do so. Our ticket included an imax movie about the artic in the dome theatre which was cool. I'm the imax there are no strollers allowed and it has to be parked outside. This review is solely based on the age of our children and their interests as well as the activities offered. read more

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As a parent, you always want to take your kids to an educational place where they can learn. I utilized the Bank of America Museums on Us where you get to go for free during the first weekend of the month. My son is only 10-months old but he thoroughly enjoyed looking at the different exhibits! I'll be sure to take him back when he can interact with the exhibits a bit more. :) read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

Total revamp since my review 11 years ago. New exhibit. Relevant projects for children. Great IMAX. Definitely a member. I remember coming here years ago, and they are being like to relevant exhibit that I wanted to see. That has very much since changed. I had a birthday party here a few months ago, and it was an absolute hit. The service was amazing. Everyone was very eager to accommodate and be there for me. They host, great parties for companies and even have a super cool 3-D dance floor if requested. They allow outside entertainers. Companies can essentially rent this place out for their own little wonderland. I was allowed to bring outside food. But they provided great kids foods for my birthday party. There are two stories that have exhibits. When I come here with the kids, they feel energized, they are always busy, they find fun things to do. It's fun for the adults too. Parking in downtown is validated at a certain garage for five dollars. Highly recommend, and with kids a membership is excellent. read more

Can't believe the Body World exhibit is still on display. It was already proven in 2004 by multiple European news outlets that the founder Gunther von Hagens of the Body World received corpses from the Chinese officials, processed body plastination in Dalian China and can't prove whether the "donors" had consented. So glad we skipped the exhibit with kids in March as I only learned about the facts recently. Parents, you might think it's educational but the whole exhibit is a horrific demonstration of cruelty and human rights violation. Google "Gunther von Hagens" and find the facts yourself. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/23/arts.china read more

Went to the TECH AT NITE . For 21 and over. They only open a small portion of the place only on the top floor. Super small. Lines to do the few cool things where like an hour wait . We went back down stairs looking for more area to check out, and the security guard said " sorry, there's nothing else " my entire family was in disbelief and thought he was joking... I am.not exaggerating,, we all could not believe it. And it was $40 per person . I promise you , you'll be upset if you go . read more

I've been to a lot of interactive science museums, this was one of the worse ones. Some of the staff were unfriendly. The exhibits were only mildly entertaining. By far the most interesting was the AI section. While the museum itself was not as enjoyable, I would highly recommend the imax show. The show is included with your tickets. If you have neck or back problems you may experience difficulties watching the show. read more

My partner bought me tickets to a music laser showing here as a gift. I have not been here since 2014 and do not intend on ever coming back and would not recommend this place to anyone else. We got to the door which was locked and had a sign that said "use other door" taped to it. Then we go around the building to the other set of doors, locked. See a janitor inside who motions us to go back to the original doors. Going back to the first set of doors, we try all the doors to confirm that they are all locked. Go back to see the janitor again and try to wave them down, they are nice enough to pantomime that they'll go meet us at the first set of doors. Arrive at the first set of doors again. Janitor takes some effort to flag someone else down inside. A person flagged down from the janitor appears, who seems annoyed from the janitor. This person then answers the door, which is upsetting since it means that this person didn't do anything when I was originally having issues trying to get in the door to redeem my ticket. I am then told that they don't let anyone into the theater late, which is unfortunate. The website, tickets, and payment confirmation email does not communicate this. I was about 10 minutes late by the time I got to the first set of doors. However, both doors being locked even though there was a later showing that day resulting us in not being able to talk to anyone until 15-20 minutes after the showing started. I ask if I can have the tickets refunded and am told "we don't do refunds". The website, tickets, and payment confirmation email does not communicate that the tickets are non refundable. I ask if there are any other options and was told that I can get tickets to a different show, but when I communicated that this was the only show I wanted to see, the person just shrugged. I asked if I can at least have my parking validated since I still have tickets. Person begrudgingly says sure, takes my parking ticket, walks around the corner and comes back. I get to the parking garage and **I still have to pay parking**. All I did was go from the parking garage to the tech interactive and back. Clearly the worker did not validate my parking Considering that my parking was not validated, it is most likely that the person simply did not want to bother trying to refund my tickets. Especially since there's no information on that on their website. On top of that, she was rude both to us and the janitor, who was the only person actually trying to help. read more

Decent science museum. Good interactive and interpretative content. Friendly staff. Price is quite high as content is good but not much of it. Not a destination but not a bad stop in area. read more

We came right at opening with pre bought tickets. We went right in and had fun exploring their exhibits. I was even pleasantly surprised to see a robo dog that did lots of cute tricks. We also went to see the dinosaur film in the dome theater which was a fun unique experience. read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

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Good for kids but kinda of expensive for an hour and a half of activities. Overall had good fun with my toddler and baby. Not too crowded but there were kids that were all over the place and not listening. Great body exhibit to show kids the inner workings of the human body. They over charged us on our 3 year old as he was suppose to be free. A lot of the exhibits were closed too. Overall would not come back, more of once and done. read more

Staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. Great family fun! Nicely decorated for the holidays. Really liked the body exhibit. Cant wait to see what's next Highly recommend. read more

We had a great time. The only reason why I am giving it four stars is because whatever you are watching, you have to tilt your head back the whole time and then you're neck gets a bit sore, but other than that "Beautifica" was amazing it was so pretty it was stress relieving, and a great moral to what life truly is. If you can go and see it it's totally worth the money. It's nice it's relaxing as a great environment atmosphere you just can't go wrong with it. Per their webpage https://allevents.in/san%20jose/beautifica-360-san-jose/200024272783830 "BEAUTIFICA360 is the latest experiential show from the minds behind immersive smash-hit sensation Mesmerica. A stunning feast for the senses, Beautifica invites you to dive into a magical world of wonder unlike anything you've seen before. This unique show is designed to spark joy with a wild ride through spectacular worlds of the imagination - and leave all who see it with a deep sense of euphoria. " read more

The Tech Interactive - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

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Nice museum!! Spacious. Easy to find parking. Cool interactive experience. Good pick for a school field trip read more

The Tech Interactive - Interesting topic in a tech interactive museum - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

More hands on, less video game type displays. It took us over 20 minutes just to buy tickets.

Not that many activities to begin with and the ones they had were all "full" even though they clearly had empty stations that weren't being used. The activities for drawing were completely out of paper and other supplies. Geared towards younger kids around 5-8. read more

This place seems to be a go to for school field trips. I can understand why; they have many enriching stations for kids to learn about science, and they have a huge IMax dome for educational films. Th museum itself is pretty big, however I wouldn't say that the museum is for everyone, a some kids might get bored, but personally, it is an annual trip. read more

For the most part this place is ok, I'm not too keen on there indoctrination language that they speak here. Aka they use a lot of assumptive language. That being said I really like their human body exhibit See pics read more

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Great gem in downtown San Jose for people of all ages. Everything is hands on and the wide range of activities (art, science, construction, space) will keep everyone entertained. My favorite was creating the bacterial cultures that future visitors will get to view. My daughter enjoyed the art/craft side best. Side note: the first weekend of every month is free for any BOA debit/credit card holder. read more

The Tech Interactive - Jet Pack time - Museums Near Me - San Jose, California

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