I really enjoyed the upstairs exhibits. Body worlds was informative, intriguing, and hard to stomach often at the same time. The downstairs was overrun with kids and families. I really enjoyed the Birdly VR demo where you fly around like a bird in Manhattan. I wish it was about a minute longer for the price, but it was awesome nonetheless. This place has something for everyone. read more

I took my kids here on Saturday. We arrived at 4:30PM and got half off on the price of admission. We promptly started wandering around the place. I love science, especially hands on exhibits. I was sort of disappointed. The exhibits were not as clever as the ones in San Francisco. We really tried to have a good experience and discussed each exhibit as a group. However the place closes at 6:00PM. So we didn't get to enjoy everything the place has to offer. Being in the technology industry I have an appreciation for some of the exhibits that were lost on the younger ones. This would be a good place to take grade school kids. Teenagers found most of the exhibits lame. read more

Packed with hands-on exhibits, this museum makes technology fun for kids of all ages. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, it showcases the cutting-edge technology for which the area is best known. My children enjoyed their first movie in the impressive IMAX Theater. read more

The IMAX theater is the only thing that saves this place, and that's if there is a good movie. We saw Stomp and it was cool. I brought my 13-yr old nephew with me and other than the movie, we were underwhelmed at every turn. Many displays didn't work, the ones that did were pretty basic & lame. Nothing about this place says Innovation, unless you want to be generous and acknowledge the innovations of 20 to 30 years ago. Save your money and spend it on the gas to get to SF and go to the Exploratorium. read more

How disappointing. This was my second visit to the Tech. The first being the year it opened, and the last October 2, 2007. Let me preface this review by saying I am keeping the Body Worlds 2 review separate (it was amazing), the Tech however, was not. We arrived at the museum when it opened, we were the first in. nothng was up and running, in fact the exhibits that should have been manned were not. So we wandered around and EVERYTHING we tried to use was either broken, stopped working while we were using it, or had obviously not worked for some time. The clean room which was very enteresting the first time we came was not up and running any longer without an explanation as to why. We were scanned to make a computer generated version of our person and the scan didn't work very well because we were wearing glasses (well why didn't the person running this exhibit tell us that Duhhh) The people at will call and the person scanning our tickets for entry were less than enthusiastic about their jobs. Our questions were met with shoulder shrugs and I dont knows. Gee thanks. The only exhibit that was informative and actually worked was the earthquake "ride" the gentleman was very informative and very nice. Overall, I will not recommend this pace to anyone again. Time to reinvest some serrious cash boys and girls if you want folks to come. If this is the science and technology museum, things should be kept current, all of this stuff is old. Come on guys, what's up??? Dont waste your time or money!!!! To think there are sooo many companies making millions of dollars in the valley and a couple mil dropped into this museum would be fantastic. What a sad state of affairs, they should just close the place down. read more

I'm such a fan of museums so when I heard about The Tech Museum of Innovation I was ecstatic to hear it was local, inexpensive and had rotating exhibits that would tour in from time to time. I took a visit with my little one when Body Worlds was in town last year. Being an anatomy buff I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see something like that in person, especially after they featured it on the Oprah show. The way it works at the tech is if you want to see one of the visiting exhibits you pay for that exhibits admission which also includes admission to the tech museum. Overall a great deal if you ask me! There's also discounts available for students or people with Military IDs just to give you all a heads up! So the visiting exhibits from out of town are awesome. But the reason I gave The Tech museum such low ratings was because the museum itself isn't that great. A lot of the exhibits are old and outdated. There's no real specific order within the museum. It's almost like as if they put random exhibits together in different corners of the building, slapped some paint on the walls and opened themselves up for business. Not great at all but really not the worst. I'm open to visiting again but only if something really cool has come into town. read more

Just checked out the Star Wars exhibit. They did an excellent job. Lots of props from the movies plus cool hands-on learning stations that teach you about robots, artificial organs, magnetic propulsion... Kids will have a great time. I also did the Millennium Falcom movie. If you can get tickets for cheap, it's fine, but there's not much to see. You sit in a room designed like a Millennium Falcom cockpit. They play some Star Wars music and then 3CPO gives you a brief "tour" of the real universe. It really doesn't have much to do with Star Wars, and it's fine to pass. We waited about 30 minutes which is the max I think anyone should wait. read more

Not really a tech museum- more a hands on science museum type activity place for kids. A bit pricey and small with little or no actual explanations of exhibits. read more

The IMAX dome is a very cool experience. We watched Under the Sea. The Tech store has a lot of neat science related toys and books. Other than that I found it boring for the adults and kids, although our 6 yr old just liked the fact that you could touch things. Very disappointed as this is a huge space with a lot of potential. Really misses the mark. We should have gone to the Children's Museum instead. read more

it's just ok. I think it's overrated on yelp. when it comes to the science and tech I've seen much better especially in san Francisco. it's so overpriced not to mention the iMax theater is paid separate. read more

Love going here. Should have written a review from another visit, but this time was the best. I found the employees to be super polite and willing to do anything to help you with. Then I met Laura and Albert, who were both super! Thank you so much for helping me and my friends out. This really made it a wonderful day at The Tech Museum. read more

I love this place! Great hands-on exhibits to satisfy everyone from the mildly curious to full-blown science nerd. So many different exhibits, the kids and I could spend a few days here, easily. Plus, the IMAX theater here rocks! The gift shop is great too, with so many cool gadgets. We stocked up on reasonably priced and very cool gifts for future birthdays and Christmas. I'd take a family vacation to San Jose just to hit this museum. Really wonderful! read more

I was able to get comp tickets to the After Hours because of a Yelp promotion. It was so much fun! After Hours happen once a month and is open for adults 21+. It is from 7PM - 12AM. You can enjoy live music, drinks and appetizers, explore the exhibits, and play some games. There was a large jenga blocks, over-sized connect 4 game, chess, checkers, and tic-tac-toe games, and much more. It was fun seeing adults act like kids with out the kids running around. read more

This place is a great place for kids. There's so much hands on things to do and if you're a kid at heart, this is a great place to come with your friends. Coming here as a college student and with other college student friends, everything was already understood but it was fun doing all the activities. The earthquake and astronaut simulation was fun. You really have to be here with people you'd have a good time with. read more

Fun and interactive exhibits showing kids what tech does in various aspects of life. Gets a bit crowded at times. Price is premium so try to get your money's worth. Seems like the museum has great funding from local tech companies. read more

Did I go here a couple times back when I was a child? I don't really remember exactly how old or when, but the years I came in contact with this brilliant work of art are somewhere between 12-16. Twas fun!! The best part I took with me the rest of my life was the earthquake simulation, which was a few floors underground. read more

I'm a volunteer at the Tech. This place is fun for kids, but for teenagers it isn't too interesting at all. The Leonardo exhibit is not bad, and body worlds was pretty good. But generally, these exhibits lacking in obvious ways, like interactivity, some technology (ironically), and just a lot of issues and kinks that should be worked out. The museum itself, although really great in A FEW parts, lacks a good atmosphere. It's also growing outdated. In defense of the volunteers, most of them seem unenthusiastic or bored because they are not TRAINED to talk about the exhibits. "Just make sure the guests don't touch the stuff," said my supervisor. It's not our fault, really. We are there just to provide support. The IMAX Dome is amazing. The exhibits in Parkside hall are typically pretty good too. The museum itself, though, is what's the problem. Bleh! read more

I am a Trekkie/Trekker from the original series onward but THIS is the worst ripoff EVER. There is nothing in this exhibition at 25/person (22 for students) that is worth more than a glance. As the previous poster said, most of the exhibits were REPLICAS of the original props. And people were just waiting to gouge you for grossly overpriced photos and souvenirs. I feel so used and dirty. In contrast with the Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton, this is a 1 and the LV show is a 9 read more

When I found out that Yelp! had gotten The Body Exhibit deals I jumped on the opportunity! (The little nerd in me squealed! lol) The museum hasn't changed much from when I went last which was probably about five years ago. Parking in downtown is pretty hard to find, especially in the Cesar Chavez area. We gave in and payed to park in the hourly lot across the street ($$). After the Body Exhibit, we went into the museum to check it out and it felt like time stood still. I feel like they need a face lift. The only thing interesting was the earthquake stimulator. Mehs, I can't find another reason to go again. read more

This is the only place to see the dome IMAX films and remains the main attraction for the entire Museum, but not the only worthwhile thing there. I love all the hands-on exhibits, because standing around and reading about what things can do is not nearly as fun as actually doing them. Definitely a place to go when you have friends and family visiting from out of town, because they are sure to find something that they love. read more

i think i like others who have been here am too old for this museum. it's perfect for fieldtrips for elementary school students but the other problem with that is that a lot of the exhibits were broken. rough handling probably, sigh. admission is pretty cheap though, $8 for gen admission and $4 for the imax (i'd recommend the imax theater). some things that i thought were cool, the earthquake simulator (a must), and the upper level with the robot that draws a picture of your face. other than that... meh.... i do like the tech tag idea - your ticket becomes your "ID" in a sense. different stations take your picture while you use them and you can log on the internet with your tech tag number and download the images. =D read more

The Tech Museum is a great place to learn about science and engineering in a very hands-on way. I like the way that the exhibits try to teach how engineers actually approach and solve problems. There are lots of cool interactive exhibits, and it seems like it would be super fun to visit with kids. read more

Went here on a Saturday with family. We bought the gallery + IMAX combo ticket. There wasn't much to see.. but is probably more of a place for kids. so I guess the IMAX portion of it was a bit more enjoyable in the dome theatre. read more

Having been to a number of similar museums around the country this one is certainly one of the better ones,but considering its location in the heart of Silicon Valley shouldn't we expect something more? I'm sure this place will evolve and improve over time. No doubt my kids will be taking their young ones here some day. read more

I've only been here for special events ie prom and now a corporate holiday party. It's a great venue, food is excellent, and great decor. On top of that while you're here for an event, you get to check out all the exhibits like the earthquake simulator or the space shuttle jet pack. The staff is super friendly and helpful. I love casino night! So much fun and a great theme for your event. I want to do it all over again! At the end of the night they even packed up all the left over desserts from the buffet for guests to take home woot! read more

This museum should be marketed as a children's museum. It is nice and all, but super not interesting for two adults sans kids. IMAX is awesome. read more

I really only went to The Tech for the Body World Vital exhibit and I really enjoyed it. Very informative and gave me a visual of what's underneath our skin. Browsed the museum itself for a minute, but decided I wasnt really into technology enough to stay. I would probably only visit the museum for an exhibit that interests me or for an IMAX presentation. read more

The Tech Museum is awesome! While it seems to be generally aimed at kids, the kids-at-heart will have an awesome time as well! (I'm just a big kid!) The special exhibits are generally aimed at adults (Star Trek, Body Worlds, Etc.) and are always very entertaining and informative. The IMAX dome is AWESOME!! You feel like you're right in the middle of the action (don't sit on the lower levels though, you will miss stuff!) The IMAX theater hosts special opening-night parties for some blockbuster releases on occasion and those are always tons of fun. Last but not least, the museum is 'growing up' the first Wednesday of every month by offering the Tech Museum After Hours over 21 events. The bars pour very friendly drinks and the entertainment is fantastic!! read more

Ehh ok, Star Wars exhibit is ehh... Millennium Falcon ride is like a 3 1/2 hour wait, for 5 minutes... And it's awful!!! Nothing to do with Star Wars in the slightest! read more

I've been to a lot of Science museums, but this was an exceptional one. Being an adult most exhibits are geared toward kids, but I have to say that their exhibits keep adults interested. The earthquake simulator is pretty cool! The IMAX is beyond awesome and their Hubble show is breathtaking! I recommend this museum to anyone in the San Jose area. read more

Epic Fail. So I had gone to the Body Worlds Vital exhibit in San Diego last year and was amazed with the variety of things to see. Baseball player statues, Gymnasts on the rings, a pregnant mother, etc. and it was fascinating to see. When I took my gf yesterday I was pumping her up and myself too to see all this cool stuff. Boy was I let down, majorly. . . The exhibit was very short. It had about 1/3 of the amount of displays as the one in SD(none of the ones I mentioned above), AND THEY CHARGED THE SAME PRICE!!!! Walking through took about 20-25 minutes, where the other one took about an hour and a half. Very dissapointed. It's like going to a new restaurant, ordering a double whopper, loving it, then going back, ordering a double whopper and getting a whopper jr and paying $5 bucks for it. WTF! We tried to salvage the trip with going through the rest of the tech museum, but it was geared toward the kiddies and we were done. Once again, save your hard earned money. . . Not worth it. Oh, and the parking validation they give you is only half of what you need to leave the parking structure at the convention center. Tech Staff did not say anything about that when we asked for validation. Gaaaaaaahhh! I had the rating at 2 stars, but after thinking about that last parking blow (and not the good kind), it's definitly a 1 star experience at best. read more

This place is soooooo so so so cool. My son had a blast. First...very well laid out. Spacious and easy to navigate. Second it is clean which is impressive considering the traffic and hands on activities for kids. Third the displays and stations rock...love the earthquake simulator. Overall very fun. read more

Great place for children to explore! It's of little things to play with. It is also engaging for parents! Parking is difficult and it can feel a little chaotic but that only bothers the adults. Definitely a place to check out for the kids! read more

This museum was definitely not what I expected it to be. I was expecting to learn more about tech industries, especially since it is in the heart of silicon valley, but it was mostly a kids museum. The exhibits are very interesting and there are quite a few of them. I would not recommend this as a place for adults unless you are going for the IMAX. My elementary school age cousins will definitely getting a trip there when they come visit though. The best part of the visit? You get in free if you have a Bank of America card. read more

I've been to several tech museums in my life time and this one was just okay. The museum had a lot of things for the space but few things to look at overall. There are some cool things but most of the displays weren't up to date. I felt like SV needs a great tech museum since its the Tech capital of the world. Really disappointed in general but understandable i guess. Nice to come by for a quick view. read more

There are a few improvement that need to be made to the Tech to get it up a star or two. First, and ironically, the technology at the tech needs an upgrade. Yes, they are showing items that are in our futures, however these technologies are often broken down. Next, is the staff. It seems like a few of the staff members are excited about being there, and I emphasize a few. As I walked around, I noticed many staff members text messaging on their cell phones or worse, talking on their phones. Also, most of the staff in aprons are just sitting around, watching the clock. This really ruined my impression of the Tech. If these people are not excited or cannot act excited about technology, they should not be there. Who knows, maybe once these improvements are made this will be a wonderful place. For now, I'd recommend not coming here. read more

Total waste of money. I'd say 70% of the "exhibits" use computers with trackballs that are so gummed up, they don't move the cursor in the direction you want (do they ever clean them?). Besides, I can sit at home and find the same "exhibit" on the web somewhere. The place is extremely loud and crowded. Even for young kids I think it would be a let down as there are so many people going for the few exhibits that it would be frustrating at best. The only plus I can give it is the free IMAX movie included with admission. I've never been to an IMAX that wasn't on a giant flat screen. This was in a dome forcing you to look straight up and even backwards a little. Kind of uncomfortable. Because of the shape, the movie image is extremely distorted and "fish-eyed". All in all, it wasn't terrible. The best exhibit here isn't even inside. It's the pool ball machine outside the place. Free! Instead of this place, I would instead recommend the Children's Discovery Museum nearby. LOTS more interesting things to do. And things you can do WITH your kids. Even things adults would like (you don't have to admit it). Also, the Exploratorium in SF is 1000 times more interesting (and educational) than this place. It's crowded too, but the sheer size and number of (working) exhibits makes The Tech look truly pathetic in comparison. read more

Loved the recent Star Wars exhibit and previously the Body exhibits.

I went to see Interstellar on the IMAX and it was ok. You have to keep your neck cocked the whole movie and it is uncomfortable for that long of a duration. My Oakley sunglasses fell at some point during the movie (I had them on when I went in cause we were taking pictures and I was wearing them) after wards I walked out of the theater and realized i did not have on my sunglasses. We sat in the back row and by the time I convinced the employee Josh to let me go look for them they were gone. The only person that could have found them was an employee, as we were the last ones out of the theater. Make sure you don't leave anything behind because they will take it. I even confronted Josh and he said he found nothing when cleaning. I suspect he lied right to my face about them. $200 sunglasses. Stolen. read more

Pretty disappointing. My kids were excited to go, and we arrived in early afternoon on a Monday. After paying the steep admission fee we started on the lower level. It wasn't terribly crowded, but it seemed that most of the exhibits required visitors to wait outside roped off areas to be admitted and the wait times were just too long for us. Also, the most fun looking exhibits were only for kids 12 and older. There are only a handful of exhibits you can walk right up to and interact with without waiting in line first. We then tried the upper level. One whole exhibit space (virtual reality?) was closed off for construction. The health care exhibit seemed boring to this 40+ year old dad, and seemed more like an advertisement for its sponsor. After only an hour, we grew tired of waiting in line for disappointing exhibits and left. I would say this museum would be interesting for a kid over 12 who likes to wait patiently in lines and doesn't like to touch anything. read more