Last year, while staying in Santa Clara for two Dead & Company concerts at Shoreline Amphitheater, we visited the Computer History Museum, the NASA Ames Exploration Center, and The Tech Museum Of Innovation. We love science museums, especially when they’re hands-on, so we were excited to visit the Intel Museum when back in Santa Clara this summer once again for two Dead & Company concerts at Shoreline Amphitheater.
At the Intel Museum: Journey Through Decades Of Innovation, you peek into the high-tech world of California’s Silicon Valley. The 10,000 square foot museum at Intel’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California, provides more than 30 exhibits and fun, interactive learning for the whole family.
The museum was founded in the early 1980s to record Intel’s history. In 1992, it opened to the public and was expanded in 1999 to triple its size.
We really enjoyed the hands-on exhibits and during our visit:
- We learned how silicon chips, the most complex devices ever manufactured, are made.
- We found out more about Robert Noyce, Intel’s co-founder, co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor, and co-inventor of the integrated circuit.
- We got the story behind Intel’s first microprocessor, the Intel 4004 Chip.
- We discovered Moore’s Law, the golden rule for the electronic industry.
Know Before You Go
- The Intel Museum is located in the Robert Noyce Building at 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California 95054 in Santa Clara County.
- Admission is free.
- The museum and museum store is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Occasionally it is closed for special events and is closed on holidays.
- All visited are self-guided, but guided tours are available upon request if possible.
- The Intel Museum Store, open the same hours as the museum, sells Intel branded merchandise like apparel, pens, gifts, computer devices, toys, and more.
- A small theater area shows video interviews with Intel engineers, scientists, and employees, and live video from an Intel factory.
