computer history museum tour

A Guide to Visiting the Computer History Museum

Computer History Museum

In just a few hours, San Jose's Computer History Museum can take you from the earliest days of computing to the technical wonders of the near future. 

At the Computer History Museum, you'll start by going back centuries to see ancient abacuses. By the time you're done, you might be sitting in a self-driving car. In between, it has everything from the history of computing: punched cards that helped analyze data from the 1890 census, the first computer (so big that took up an entire room), an early personal computer barely larger than an iPad, and tech gadgets that everyone will recognize. In fact, the thing people say most often in the museum is "I remember that."

Reviewers on Yelp love the Computer History Museum, giving it 4.5 stars out of five. Even people who thought it was going to be dull end up enjoying it. 

Things to Do

Take a guided tour. It's the easiest way to get something out of the museum in an hour or so and to get more insights into the exhibits. Tour guides make your visit especially engaging by focusing on the practical problems that computers have helped people solve over the decades.

If you can't make it for the guided tour, download the museum's free app called CHM Tours. The one-hour Revolution tour is also free once you install the main app, so bring some headphones with you.

Check the museum website for docent-led tour times, lectures, demonstrations, and workshops that you might enjoy.

Tips for Visiting

The museum closes once in a while for private events and also on some holidays and weekdays, so  check their current hours before you go .

The museum's maze-like layout may feel overwhelming at first, but don’t fret. Galleries are numbered, and there are arrows on the floor. Follow them, and you won't get lost.

The Computer History Museum doesn't have interactive exhibits or play areas, and it's not the place to take children until they are old enough to understand what they are seeing. If you're looking for a science experience for your kids, go to The Tech in downtown San Jose or even better, take them to The Exploratorium in San Francisco.

If your phone needs a charge, you can top it off for free at the museum, but you will need to download an app to do it.

The gift shop doesn't have a lot of tech toys, but they have a large selection computer history books and lots of techy t-shirts that you may like if you can understand tech puns (like Cu Ti π, which are the symbols for the elements copper and titanium followed by the Greek letter pi, but also when pronounced phonetically read "cutie pie").

To save money on your admission, check Groupon for discounts . You can also find discount tickets through Goldstar.

Getting There

The museum is located in a landmark building initially built as the headquarters for Silicon Graphics, Inc.

To drive there, navigate to 1401 N Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View, CA. 

The Caltrain/VTA Light Rail Station is in downtown Mountain View, about 2 miles away from the museum. From the train station, you can call a ride-sharing service or take the Mountain View Community Shuttle .

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Best 14 Washington, D.C. Museums

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• Plan Your Visit
• Public Tours & Group Reservations
• This Is CHM
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• Donor Recognition
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Buy Tickets

• Hours & Admission
• Upcoming Events

Hours & Admission

Location & hours, regular hours.

10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Holiday & Special Hours

Mon. Feb. 19

Presidents' Day

Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Mon. May 27

Memorial Day

Wed. June 19

Thu. July 4

Mon. Sep. 2

Thu. Nov. 28

Thanksgiving

Fri. Nov. 29

Day after Thanksgiving

Tue. Dec. 24

Christmas Eve

Wed. Dec. 25

Tue. Dec. 31

New Year's Eve

Wed. Jan. 1

New Year's Day

Visiting with a group? Learn about Public Tours & Group Reservations .

Plan your Visit

Getting here.

Computer History Museum Mountain View, United States

The Computer History Museum is a nonprofit organization with a four-decade history as the world’s leading institution exploring the history of computing and its ongoing impact on society. The Museum is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of computer history and is home to the largest international collection of computing artifacts in the world, encompassing computer hardware, software, documentation, ephemera, photographs, oral histories, and moving images. The Museum brings computer history to life through large-scale exhibits, an acclaimed speaker series, a dynamic website, docent-led tours and an award-winning education program.

Computer History Museum

In this collection, personal computer, electronics, computer science, 1 museum view.

Visit The Museum

Hours of operation.

Thursday: 12PM-5PM Friday: 12PM-5PM Saturday: 10AM-5PM Sunday:  12PM-5PM (Last admission 45 minutes before closing)

Consider purchasing an annual membership for year-round admission to the museum and other benefits.

Group Visits

Self-guided visits during open hours are available for groups of 10 or more individuals.  Private group visits, during select hours the museum is not open, can be scheduled for groups of 20 or more. A minimum of two-weeks’ notice is requested, and scheduling is based on availability.

For pricing, questions, and additional information about our group events, please click the appropriate button below.

General Information

• Photos may be taken throughout the museum, and we encourage sharing on social media with the hashtag #ComputerMuseumOfAmerica
• Food and Drink are not permitted in the museum however water bottles are allowed
• Strollers are permitted in the museum
• Guests under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult
• Backpacks, suitcases, roller bags, and other types of large bags are not permitted in the museum
• Firearms, weapons, and explosives are prohibited in the museum
• Except for service animals, pets are prohibited in the museum
• Smoking is prohibited
• Ample free parking is available

[email protected]

Location 5000 Commerce Pkwy Roswell, GA 30076 (Next to Aurora Cineplex and Fringe Miniature Golf)

Tribute to Apollo 11

Let your imagination run wild – it’s almost like being there, supercomputing: vanquishing the impossible, witness more than 70 supercomputers on display, timeline of computer history, artifacts of the digital past from its inception through today, byte wall magazine collection, the complete collection of byte magazine front covers, don’t miss an update.

THE 10 BEST Moscow Museums

Museums in moscow.

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• Observatories & Planetariums
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• Boulevard Ring
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Adventurous
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. State Tretyakov Gallery

2. Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

3. Moscow Kremlin

4. Kolomenskoye Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve

5. Armoury Chamber

6. The Museum of Cosmonautics

7. Kuskovo Estate

8. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

9. State Darwin Museum

10. New Tretyakov Gallery

11. Diamond Fund (Almazny Fond)

12. Experimentanium Museum of Entertaining Sciences

13. Orlov Paleontological Museum

14. Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center

15. Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

16. Art Gallery of the European and American Countries of the XIX-XX centuries

17. Muzeon Art Park

18. Mikhail Bulgakov State Museum

19. Moscow Planetarium

20. Historical Park Russia - My History

21. Entertainment Center Arbat 16

22. Museum-Diorama Tsar-Layout

23. Bunker-42 Cold War Museum at Taganka

24. The State A.S. Pushkin Museum

25. Museum Moskovskiy Transport

26. Victor Vasnetsov House Museum

27. Gorky's House (Ryabushinsky Mansion)

28. Novospasskiy Monastery

29. Borodino Battle Museum Panorama

30. The Victory Museum

What travelers are saying

• State Tretyakov Gallery
• Moscow Kremlin
• Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve
• The Museum of Cosmonautics
• Armoury Chamber
• Museum-Diorama Tsar-Layout
• Victor Vasnetsov House Museum
• Museum Moskovskiy Transport
• Museum in the Dark Sensorium
• Kolomenskoye Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve
• Art Gallery of the European and American Countries of the XIX-XX centuries
• Kuskovo Estate
• Muzeon Art Park
• Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center
• Orlov Paleontological Museum
• Gorky's House (Ryabushinsky Mansion)
• Historical Park Russia - My History
• Experimentanium Museum of Entertaining Sciences
• Mikhail Bulgakov State Museum
• Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines
• Entertainment Center Arbat 16
• Bunker-42 Cold War Museum at Taganka
• Museum of Illusions
• Museum of Death

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• Russian Kitchen

Your 48-hour tour guide of Moscow this winter!

9 am – Visit the Red Square 

Christmas market on Red Square

The first thing that every tourist should do by default is visit the very heart of Moscow – it’s main and most beautiful (which ‘krasnaya’ actually meant in Old Russian) square! 

There are several ways to explore it:

• Take a selfie with Spasskaya Tower
• Have a warm drink at the Christmas market (which lasts until mid-January)
• Visit Lenin’s Mausoleum
• Shop in the gorgeous adjacent GUM department store
• Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral (and learn that it’s actually several churches under one roof).           

11 am – It’s Kremlin time! 

Inside the Moscow Kremlin

Entering the Kremlin is, actually, a bit of a quest, as it’s a presidential facility with no general access. You need to buy a ticket or, better still, book a guided tour. Inside the Kremlin’s walls, you will find ancient cathedrals, in which Russian tsars used to be crowned and buried, as well as explore the magnificent architecture of the Kremlin that reflects the rich history of the country. And, finally, you could also make a quick visit to the Moscow Kremlin Museums and admire artifacts from various Russian tsarist eras: carriages, thrones, crowns and the most incredible armory and jewelry. 

For more information, visit the official website of the Kremlin . It’s open from 10 am to 5 pm (and it’s closed on Thursdays) in winter.

2 pm – Watch the changing of the Guard

The honor guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

A very spectacular (and free) thing to do is watch how the honor guard does their ceremonial change at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame, situated in Alexander Garden, right next to the Kremlin wall. Every hour, from 8 am to 8 pm, the 1st Company of the Kremlin (Presidential) Regiment performs this rather old and beautiful tradition. But, be warned, it's often overcrowded. 

3 pm – Enjoy a green oasis just in the center

Florarium in Zaryadye

Just a few steps from the Red Square, you will find the fabulous Zaryadye park. Opened in 2017, it is designed by renowned American architect bureau ‘Diller Scofidio + Renfro’. You can walk among the very cozy botanical decorations and explore Russia’s climate zones, as each of them is represented in dedicated areas, complete with flora from those zones.

The floating bridge in Zaryadye Park

The park also has an underground museum, an “ice cave” and a 3D cinema, where you can take part in a virtual adventure – a flight over Moscow! However, the piece de resistance is a floating boomerang bridge over the Moskva River, one of the best places to take a selfie.

You can also grab a quick lunch or relax with a cup of coffee or tea in the park.

7 pm – Arrange a ballet night

The Bolshoi Theater

Of course, the most fancy way to finish your day in Moscow would be to go to the ballet at the Bolshoi Theater (in a perfect world, to see ‘The Nutcracker’!). However, getting tickets to the Bolshoi is not an easy task and should be done well in advance of your visit. 

But, don’t be upset if you don’t manage to get tickets to the Bolshoi. Moscow has dozens of other options to see a ballet (or opera). No less brilliant performances can be seen in the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theater or in The State Kremlin Palace (by the way, this is another way to get a quick glimpse inside the Kremlin!).

10:30 pm – Have a late dinner in a fancy restaurant

Dr Zhivago restaurant

There are not so many other cities with such a big choice of restaurants in a range of tastes and styles. In 2021, the authoritative Michelin guide announced their pick of the best of Moscow’s restaurants. And here’s our guide to all the places with Russian cuisine for any budget. But, if you happen to be in the area of the Bolshoi or Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, then ‘Dr. Zhivago’ would definitely be a nice option (and it’s open around the clock).

DAY 2 

9 am – grab a moscow coffee.

Winter festivities mood in Moscow

Moscow is definitely a coffee city! You can find coffee shops on every corner and they all offer a huge range of drinks. Try a ‘raf’ coffee, a sweet, creamy drink that was created in Russia, or dare to pick one of the very unusual offers, like cheese coffee or a Soviet candy style one (check out our coffee guide here ).

10 am – Take a river cruise

Winter boating along the Moskva River

Another exciting way to explore Moscow is to observe it from the water. Boats cruise along the Moskva River all year round. Most begin their route from the Hotel Ukraine, one of Stalin's ‘Seven Sister’ skyscrapers, and will bring you back to the same spot after passing the medieval Novodevichy Convent, Moscow State University and Luzhniki Stadium, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and giant monument to Peter the Great and many other sightseeings. 

It’s always at optimum temperature inside the boat, which also has huge panoramic windows. Select boats also offer a full dining experience, so it is also a nice place to have breakfast or lunch.

If you are not a water person, then discover other, unusual sides of Moscow – pick one of the activities we’ve prepared for you here ! 

1 pm – Visit ‘Russia’ Expo and taste a bunch of Russian regional cuisines

Russia Expo at VDNKh

Until April 2024, the Soviet-era VDNKh exhibition park is hosting the huge ‘Russia’ expo, with tons of activities and expositions devoted to Russia, its culture, science and nature. Check out our special guide on what to do there!  

An entire ‘House of Russian Cuisine’ has been opened at the expo. You will find 15 food stands with flagship dishes from Kamchatka, Siberia, Karelia and other regions of Russia. Imagine trying a range of cuisines and dishes in one place without even having to travel anywhere, be it Altai pelmeni, Tula kalach or Caucasian pies! A perfect place to grab some lunch.

House of Russian cuisines at VDNKh

The VDNKh exhibition park is a great place to visit, in general! Its pavilions are the perfect example of Stalinit Empire style architecture and you can almost feel as if you’ve traveled back in time! You will also find several interesting museums in the park – devoted to space exploration, Russian history and even a ‘Special Purpose Garage’, which showcases the various vehicles used by the country’s leaders. 

'Sun of Moscow' wheel

And, finally, you can ride Europe's tallest panoramic wheel – ‘Sun of Moscow’ – that will give you panoramic views of the city – from a height of 140 meters!

5 pm – Ice skate with view & mulled wine

Ice skating rink on Red Square (GUM department store on the background)

Ice skating is one of the most popular and affordable activities in Moscow. There are several great ice skating rinks in picturesque locations that are open all winter long. One of the biggest rinks in Europe is also at the aforementioned VDNKh or you can visit the one in Gorky Park, another very popular Moscow spot, or the small, but fancy rink – right on Red Square! 

All the parks offer ice skate rental, so the only things you need are warm clothes, a charged phone to record your memories and a good mood!  Moscow also gets dark at 4:30 pm in winter and hundreds of lights are switched on, turning the city into a giant fairy tale! 

A mulled wine with a view

And, if you are not a sports person, we’ve picked several other unusual activities that you could do in Moscow instead. For example, did you know that there is an entire district of dacha (countryside) houses, just 10 minutes from the center, surrounded by giant new highrises? How about taking a stroll there and feeling the early Soviet atmosphere?

8 pm – Warm up & laugh out loud

After all these outdoor activities, what could be better than a warm cozy bar with a hot drink and nice company? Moscow is a city full of entertainment for all tastes. So, if you know the Russian language or want to practice it, go to a theater or catch a stand-up comedy show. Moscow even has comedy shows in English, where you can hear both Russians speaking fluent English or foreigners (including Brits and Americans) who live in Russia speaking in broken or heavily-accented Russian (Check their show dates on the ‘ Moscow English Comedy ’ Telegram channel)!

11 pm – Finish by partying the night away!

Propaganda club in Moscow

Moscow never sleeps, as you might have heard. Which means there are plenty of bars and nightclubs where you can have a drink (or two or three; be sure to check out how Russians make Black Russian and White Russian cocktails) and chat with incredibly different people. Have fun and don’t miss your flight (or miss it and stay longer in the best city in the world!)!

That's it! See you soon in Moscow

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