Museums
History San José manages one of the largest collections of regional history artifacts in California. Housed at the Collection Center, a state-of-the-art facility near History Park, the artifact collection includes objects that represent the Valley’s past, from Native American baskets and tools, to agricultural equipment, to pre-silicon chip technologies that were pioneered locally. The Museum continues to collect contemporary history documenting the social and political happenings in the Valley. The research collection includes photographs, personal papers, manuscripts, maps, films, oral histories and published works. Staff and volunteers care for, catalog, and provide access to City of San José and Santa Clara County historical records. Students, educators, historians and other community members seeking primary sources make use of HSJ’s Research Library & Archives by meeting with staff to discuss their research project and receive assistance in identifying relevant materials. Researchers throughout the state, nation, and from at least 28 countries use the Research Library & Archives, further promoting the importance of San José and the Santa Clara Valley.