The Tech Interactive

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The Tech Interactive (formerly The Tech Museum of Innovation, commonly known as The Tech) is a science and technology center in San Jose, California that offers hands-on activities, labs, design challenges and other STEAM education resources.

Description

The building has three floors. On the lower level there is a multi-story sculpture titled Origin, inside a cylindrical tower. Near the entrance to the building, there is Science on a Roll, a rolling ball sculpture by George Rhoads. The front wall is inscribed with quotations from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Bill Hewlett, David Packard, Bob Noyce, and Gordon Moore. The building was designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. The building hosts the IMAX Dome Theater, which opened in 1998 and shows mainstream movies as well as educational films. The Tech is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.

History

Planning began in 1978 by members of the Junior League of Palo Alto, with later assistance by the San Jose Junior League. The City of San Jose promised funding for a Technology Center of Silicon Valley in the 1980s, but progress was slow. The first temporary exhibit opened in 1990, named "The Garage" in homage to the HP Garage. It was housed in San Jose's former convention center. On October 31, 1998, The Tech Museum of Innovation was inaugurated in a facility. In May 2019, the organization was renamed as The Tech Interactive. In 2018, an expansion of Tech Interactive by was proposed, as part of a major high-rise office development in Park Habitat. During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Tech Interactive temporarily closed for in-person visits in March, 2020, and published online STEM resources in English and Spanish. In November 2020, Katrina Stevens became president and CEO of The Tech Interactive, succeeding Tim Ritchie. She is the first woman and first educator to lead the organization. In 2025, Dream Garden, an AI-powered immersive exhibit, opened as an exploration of artificial intelligence through movement and creativity. The exhibit is part of the AI Sandbox gallery, a space dedicated to exploring AI and developing greater understanding of the technology.

References

External links

Website

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377422812 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.