In Northern California, Santa Clara distinguishes itself as the home to many museums that will engage, delight and fascinate you. Some of the museums focus on technology while historical sites showcase turn of the century heritage sites such as:

De Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, includes thousands of items chronicling the history of Santa Clara's historic mission (also located on the campus) along with ancient and modern artwork. 

Triton Museum of Art is best known for its Theodore Wores collection. Folk, classic and contemporary works are also on display at the museum. 

Harris-Lass Historic Museum offers a glimpse into Santa Clara's past with the city's last farm site preserved from the early 1900s. 

Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose in Santa Clara County will delight and educate your children with interactive exhibits, creative play, discovery and learning. 

Intel Museum, located at Intel's headquarters in Santa Clara, features displays and exhibits showcasing Intel's history. The history of the region's semiconductor technology is explained in a fun and engaging way. 

Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History is the oldest train station on the west coast. The museum is operated by the South Bay Historical Railroad Society and located in the Santa Clara Depot. The region's railroad history, which led to the city's early expansion, is displayed in great detail with rare photographs and artifacts from Santa Clara's early years. Two large model railroad layouts are on display at that museum.

The Tech Museum in nearby San Jose offers special and interactive exhibits that fire the imaginations of all visitors, especially children. Membership allows access to related science museums across the country.

San Jose Art Museum is best known for the sheer number of exhibits it houses along with spacious environs.