06.16.2023

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Today’s Forecast

57º | Mostly sunny | 5% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:22 a.m. | Sunset: 5:06 p.m.

San Jose on display

San Jose’s must-see museums

Rosicrucian Park is home to a peace garden, a planetarium, a labyrinth, and the Egyptian Museum. | Photo courtesy of Team San Jose

Museums are the cultural hubs of San Jose. Whether you’re looking to learn something new about the great 408 or plotting a way to spend your Saturday afternoon, here are 13 museums to visit in our city.

Note: Be sure to check museum hours while planning your visit.

History

Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, 1660 Park Ave. | $8-$10
This museum boasts the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on display in western North America, and has a beautiful peace garden, planetarium, and rock labyrinth.

Japanese American Museum of San Jose, 535 N. Fifth St. | $5-$8
Established in 1987, this museum chronicles the Japanese American history within Santa Clara Valley, telling stories of their agricultural roots to their incarceration during World War II.

Don’t miss: The Barracks Room which takes visitors into a recreation of a family’s living quarters in the Tule Lake incarceration camp.

A museum exhibit with hanging quilts featuring both traditional and modern designs. — San Jose — where love is just a quilt’s length away.
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Photo courtesy of Team San Jose

Arts

San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, 520 S. First St. | $5-$10
Claiming to be “the first museum in the U.S. to recognize fiber arts as a respected artform,” its galleries bring you through 1,200+ textiles, historic and contemporary quilts, and other garments across cultures.

Don’t miss: The SoFA Pocket Park murals that celebrate textile art located right next to SJQMT at 540 S. First St.

Institute of Contemporary Art San José, 560 S. First St. | Free
Prepare to examine and reflect on the “conceptually challenging” art displayed in this museum, where its goal is to present visually compelling pieces that spark discussion.

One of the exhibit rooms in the Computer History Museum. — Learn about the Silicon Valley’s technological past.
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Photo via Computer History Museum

Tech

Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View | $6-$23.50
Chronicling the history of Silicon Valley’s origins, this museum has the largest computer chip in the world, an emoji exhibit, and demo labs that show how the earliest generation of computers worked.

Intel Museum, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara | Free
Learn the history behind scientists Robert Noyce + Gordon Moore’s vision that resulted in the multi-billion-dollar company. Interactive exhibits take you through microprocessor history, silicon chip design, and more.

7 more museums

Asked

Have you visited a local museum, art gallery, or an arts/cultural event in the last 6 months?

A. Yes
B. No

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Events

Friday, June 16

Jeepney Jam 2023 | Friday, Jun. 16 | 5-9 p.m. | Garden at the Flea, 1590 Berryessa Rd., San Jose | Free | Celebrate Philippine Independence Day with local Filipino-owned small business vendors, artists, live performances, and food trucks.
Midtown Immersive Night Party | Friday, Jun. 16 | 5-9 p.m. | 245 McEvoy St., San Jose | Free | Bring the family to enjoy food trucks, a beer garden, artisan merchants, live DJs, and musical performances.
San Jose Giants vs. Rancho Cucamonga | Friday, Jun. 16-Sunday, Jun. 18 | Times vary | Excite Ballpark, 588 E. Alma Ave., San Jose | $5-$29 | Cheer on your home team and enjoy a Beer Batter Special weekend ahead.

Saturday, June 17

42nd Annual Juneteenth Homecoming | Saturday, Jun. 17 | 12-7 p.m. | SoFA District, South First Street, San Jose | Free | This all-day celebration of African American heritage features a lineup of special artists, along with local vendors, food trucks, and activities.
6th Annual Motorcycle Show | Saturday, Jun. 17 | 4-9 p.m. | San Jose BMW, 1990 W. San Carlos St., San Jose | Free | The San Jose Dons will host a group ride and barbecue — proceeds from meal tickets will go toward future events.

Sunday, June 18

Rainbow Market + How Bazaar Market | Sunday, Jun. 18 | 11 a.m.-11 p.m. | 25 Post St., San Jose | Free | Shop local small businesses + crafters during this Pride month market.
Spring Concert Series | Sunday, Jun. 18 | 3:30-7 p.m. | St. James Park, North Second + East St. James streets, San Jose | Free | Relax on the lawn with a beer or wine while listening to local musicians perform.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Development

Redco Development is proposing a seven-story, 126-unit apartment complex with ground-floor retail shops to replace a liquor store site in Willow Glen. The project is in its preliminary stage, so a construction timeline was not announced. (The Mercury News)

Civic

San Jose City Council approved a housing and commercial space project, which will bring 24 single-family homes, 24 townhomes, and 700 apartments + condos to a 13-acre site at 1655 Berryessa Rd. This will be an addition to San Jose’s Berryessa BART Urban Village Area Plan. (San José Spotlight)

Community

District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz, alongside Amigos de Guadalupe, proclaimed June as National Immigrant Heritage Month. Last December, a study from George W. Bush Institute showed that San Jose was the No. 1 metro area where immigrants “look for a better life.” (San José Spotlight)

Open

Mesa Terrace, a housing development catering to low-income residents + youth coming out of the foster care system, is now open. The 46-unit building is located in the Almaden neighborhood. (NBC Bay Area)

Announced

The city of San José recently appointed Matt Loesch as the new director of public works. Matt will begin his term on Sunday, June 18, where he will lead the maintenance + construction of public systems with an annual operating budget of $201 million.

Eat

Tony & Alba’s Pizza & Pasta is now serving a specialty Father’s Day pizza (called “The Jetson”) designed by AI. ChatGPT created the pie made with pepperoni, sausage links, bacon, Memphis barbecue sauce, red onions, and cilantro. It will be offered through June, or longer if it’s a fan favorite. (The Mercury News)

Biz

San Jose-based battery company Lyten has launched a pilot program for its lithium-sulfur batteries with the aim of powering electric vehicles, aircraft, and mobile devices at a lower price point. Lyten is also testing its graphene products to improve sensors in the health + safety industries. (The Mercury News)

Tech

Netherlands-based semiconductor maker NXP signed a lease at 110 Rose Orchard that includes an office + research building. The company is also leasing two other sites in North San Jose on Holger Way and East Plumeria Drive. (The Mercury News)

Finance

A Banksy painting that gave everyday investors 32% returns? Yep, you read that right. Thousands of investors are smiling all the way to the bank thanks to the fine art investing platform Masterworks. Masterworks investors have benefitted from sales with returns of 13.9%, 35.0%, and 27.3%. Skip the waitlist and join.*

Featured Deal

Need a last minute Father’s Day gift idea? Treat Dad to the ultimate smart home upgrade by converting his manual window shades into motorized SmartShades. Easy-to-install, energy savings, and smart sophistication all in one package. RYSE is offering 10% off the entire store. Snag the deal here.*

History

The Ritz used to be... what?

A brief history of The Ritz nightclub

The Ritz's marquee displaying "Lacuna Coil, The Birthday Massacre, Blind Channel, and Edge of Paradise."

The Ritz has gone through many different phases. | Photo via @blind_channel_news

Ah, The Ritz. The lively nightclub is definitely a SoFA staple. But, did you know that pre-2015, the scene was much different inside?

The original building opened in 1948 as a garage, but was soon renamed “Gay Theatre,” serving as one of the city’s main movie theaters. In the 1970s, the theater took on a new persona — the X-rated Pussycat Theater.

The adult theater lived on until 1989, when F/X took over as part of an effort to revitalize downtown. The new nightclub held events ranging from alternative music dance parties to “secret gay nights” and costume parties. Even a then-unknown Gwen Stefani made an appearance.

F/X’s stint ended in 1995, then came the Usuals, Spy, Pete Escovedo’s Latin Jazz Club, and Angels. The venue closed for seven years after Angels, but then rose again as The Ritz we all know and love in 2015.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alyson

From the editor

Happy Friday, San Jose — what is everyone up to this long weekend? (The answer is celebrating the father figures in your life, of course.) Don’t forget to also commemorate Juneteenth with the African American Community Service Agency, tomorrow, June 17, 12-7 p.m. in the SoFA District. There will be several headlining artists, as well as plenty of craft, food, and local business vendors.

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