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The Tech Museum of Innovation

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Why We Like This Place

All you people who yawn at the prospect of going to a museum listen up: The Tech is not just a museum, it’s an adventure. In fact, The Tech may be the most exciting thing to happen to the South Bay in years.

Located in downtown San Jose, facing Plaza de Cesar Chavez and just across from the Fairmont Hotel, this bright mango building houses 300 high-tech interactive exhibits that will energize the most jaded visitor. And wonder of wonders!—if you host an event here, the exhibits are available for your guests’ enjoyment.

Events are held in the museum lobby, the exhibit galleries, and the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater. You can reserve any combination of spaces or rent the entire museum. The lobby is a fantastic place for a large party. It’s a three-level atrium with a 45-foot cylindrical tower rising up through it and, when used in conjunction with the adjacent New Venture Hall, it can accommodate 500 for a sit-down dinner.

The galleries lend themselves to standing receptions. They’re thoroughly modern, displaying a mix of steel, glass and plastic, with walls and ceilings painted in jewel shades of purple, yellow and blue. Each gallery has a different theme. The Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery shows how Silicon Valley technologies are revolutionizing human thought, creativity and communication. At Reface, you can combine your image with that of other visitors in ways that are often funny and sometimes strange, or experiment with a revolutionary electronic musical instrument that lets you create music from different cultures using cubes and pucks. The Exploration Gallery gives you the opportunity to go places you’ve only been able to imagine: Step onto the Shake Platform to experience an earthquake, or feel just like an astronaut on the Jet Pack Chair. In The Tech Energy Gallery, you can harness sun, wind and water power to make the Power Tower glow, while View From Space lets you watch hurricanes form or see the spread of an El Niño event over a globe almost six feet in diameter.

In addition to these extraordinary galleries, The Tech has one more cutting-edge gem that will dazzle you and your guests: the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater. The only one of its kind in Northern California, it features a giant hemispherical screen whose image dwarfs that of a conventional theater and puts the audience in the center of the action. Outfitted with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, the theater can be reserved exclusively for a performance or presentation, but we recommend you also use it for viewing an IMAX film. Experience rafting down the world’s deadliest river, traveling to the Red Planet, a spellbinding climb up sheer vertical walls to the summit of Everest or the adventure, drama and emotion of some of your favorite Hollywood movies.

The Tech aims to inspire the innovator in everyone; yet, even if you don’t come away wanting to be a scientist when you grow up, you’ll have to admit that this place makes traditional meeting rooms and party themes feel obsolete. Part of the next generation of museums, The Tech triumphs at making science, math and technology not only accessible, but positively fun.

Capacity

Ceremony	Reception/Special Events	Meetings
Max. Seated Indoors: 300 Max. Seated Outdoors: 150	Max. Seated Indoors: 500 Max. Seated Outdoors: 0 Max. Standing Indoors: 2500 Max. Standing Outdoors: 0	Max. Seated: 400
CEREMONY CAPACITY: The New Venture Hall can accommodate up to 300 seated indoors, and the Rooftop Terrace holds 150 seated outdoors. EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Tech can accommodate 500 seated guests or 2,500 standing. MEETING CAPACITY: The Large Group Meeting Room holds up to 65 seated guests, and the New Venture Hall, 400 seated guests. The Noyce Center for Learning holds a maximum of 125 seated guests and can be divided into three separate meeting rooms.

Fees & Deposits

50% of the rental fee is the deposit required to secure your date, along with a $1,000–2,500 security/cleaning deposit. The rental fee ranges $500–12,500 depending on the space(s) used. Exclusive use of the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater can be arranged at an additional cost. Fees are based on a 4-hour time period. An additional 30% per hour will be charged after the first 4 hours. Meals start at $20/person. Tax, alcohol and service charge are additional.

Availability

Year-round, daily, 6pm–midnight. Closed Christmas Day.

Catering Provided Choose From List Alcohol Provided Location Uses Ceremonies Wedding Receptions Special Events, Parties Business Functions/Meetings Rehearsal Dinners Services/Amenities Catering: provided, or select from list Kitchen Facilities: prep only Tables & Chairs: BYO or through caterer Linens, Silver, etc.: through caterer Restrooms: wheelchair accessible Dance Floor: CBA Meeting Equipment: CBA, extra charge Parking: Convention Center garage, nearby lots Accommodations: no guest rooms Telephone: pay phone Outdoor Night Lighting: no Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no Cleanup: through caterer View: no Other: on-site coordinator

Amplified Music Indoors Wheelchair Access Wheelchair Accessible Site Views No View Venue Type Banquet Hall/Events Facility Museum Restrictions Alcohol: provided Smoking: outdoors only Music: amplified OK Wheelchair Access: yes Insurance: certificate required

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