5 MUST SEE, DO
» San Jose Museums
Downtown San Jose has a wealth of cultural institutions including one of the country’s top science and technology museums, The Tech Museum, where some of the interactive exhibits were designed by Stanford and NASA engineers. Nearby, the San Jose Museum of Art is devoted to California artists with paintings, sculpture, photography and more. The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles promotes the appreciation of textiles as art.
› sanjose.org
» Valley Wineries
While dozens of wineries and tasting rooms are in the Santa Cruz Mountains and south of San Jose, some are located right in the valley, including Testarossa, in a 19th-century monastery that has access to parklands for hiking. Three others also have access to open space for post-tasting walks, including Picchetti Winery in Cupertino, Coopergarrod Estate Vineyards in Saratoga and Ridge Vineyards, founded by Stanford Research Institute engineers, in Cupertino.
› santaclarawines.com
» Stanford Art
Stanford University’s campus includes the Anderson Collection, a private modern American art collection that features major works by Pollock, Still, Rothko and Diebenkorn, housed in a striking 33,000-squarefoot building. Next door is the Cantor Arts Center, which includes 24 galleries and one of the largest collections of Rodin bronzes outside Paris.
› stanford.edu
» History Park
Stretching over 14 acres, San Jose’s History Park conveys the richness of Santa Clara Valley’s long history. The park features 27 original and re-created buildings connected by running trolleys. Included are the Chineseamerican Museum, the Portuguese Historical Museum and one of the first banks opened by A.P. Giannini, founder of the Bank of America, who was born in San Jose.
› historysanjose.org
» Computer History Museum
Technology giants call Silicon Valley home and this museum explores their history and impact on society. Large-scale exhibits describe the creation of selfdriving cars, and are filled with the world’s largest collection of computing hardware, software, ephemera and photographs.
› computerhistory.org