How to Plan a Visit to the Computer History Museum

The Computer History Museum (CHM) in Silicon Valley is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and closed Monday and Tuesday. To plan a visit, start at the Plan Your Visit page on computerhistory.org, which covers tickets, directions, and tour options. Before you go, check the site's holiday and closure notices, since those can override the standard weekly schedule.

Confirm hours and closures first

CHM's posted hours are:

The site also maintains a separate "Holidays and Closures" notice. Because holiday closures are listed apart from the regular hours, treat the weekly schedule as the default and the closure notice as the override — check both before committing to a travel date.

Decide what you want to see

CHM's main exhibits are the core of a visit, and several are available both online and in person:

• REVOLUTION: The First 2000 Years of Computing — 19 galleries and 1,100 objects tracing computing from its earliest roots through the pioneers who built the field.
• Chatbots Decoded: Exploring AI — explains what chatbots are, where they come from, and why they matter, with a chatbot-powered robot to interact with and expert perspectives on AI's future.
• Make Software: Change the World! — the history, impact, and technology behind seven applications: MP3, Photoshop, MRI, car crash simulation, Wikipedia, texting, and World of Warcraft.
• Extended Reality: Visions of the Future — the evolution of VR, AR, smart glasses, and AI-powered wearables, shown through more than 100 devices spanning six decades.

If your time is limited, REVOLUTION is the broadest single exhibit; the others are more focused and can be paired around it.

Choose how you'll visit

Beyond a self-guided walk-through, CHM lists these options:

• Tours — guided visits, detailed on the Plan Your Visit page.
• Group and school visits — separate arrangements for groups, also under Plan Your Visit.

Pick the format before you book, since group and school visits follow different logistics than individual admission.

Check tickets and admission details

Ticket pricing and admission specifics are handled through the Plan Your Visit page rather than the homepage. The site's navigation also includes a Tickets link and a Donate option, and it offers a Subscribe sign-up for updates. The homepage does not state prices, so confirm current admission terms on the Plan Your Visit page instead of assuming.

What to do if you can't attend in person

REVOLUTION and Make Software are explicitly offered online as well as on site, so you can experience at least part of the museum remotely. The site also provides online collections, timelines, a blog, playlists, a podcast, and activities and resources for those exploring from home.

Common planning pitfalls

• Assuming a weekend-only schedule. The museum is open four days a week, not seven — Wednesday through Sunday only.
• Missing the closure notice. Holiday and temporary closures are posted separately from regular hours.
• Skipping the Plan Your Visit page. Tickets, directions, and tour details live there, not on the homepage.
• Overlooking online exhibits. If travel isn't possible, two major exhibits are available digitally.