Metroactive

"African Art in Context" - Ongoing. Cantor Arts Center, Palm Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University (The Peninsula), 650.723.4177, www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm.

Artifacts, art created for the museum, photographs and collections of newspapers and magazines, oral and written histories and more focusing on the history of the local Vietnamese community - Ongoing. Vietnamese Museum, Greenwald House, History Park, 1650 Senter Rd, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley).

"Catch the Big-Wave at Maverick's" - An exhibit dedicated to the big waves surfers ride off the coast of San Mateo County. Ongoing. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City (The Peninsula), 650.299.0104, Tue-Sun, 10am-4pm.

Closed for expansion - Call or visit www.jamsj.org for information about educational programs, lectures and other special events. Japanese American Museum of San Jose, 535 N. Fifth St, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.294.3138, www.jamsj.org.

"Color in Motion" - Works by Alexander Calder. Thru Dec 13. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.294.2787, Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, closed Mon.

"Contemporary Glass" - From the Jane and Leland Stanford collection. Ongoing. Cantor Arts Center, Palm Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University (The Peninsula), 650.723.4177, www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm.

"The Crown of the Peninsula" - Exhibit depicts the uses of local land and its inhabitants over time. Ongoing. Los Altos History Museum, 51 S. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 650.948.9427, Thu-Sun, noon-4pm.

"Digital Transformations" - Explore through interactive exhibits how technologies used to capture images, communicate across distance and record sound have evolved over time. Ongoing. The Intel Museum, Robert Noyce Building, 2200 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.765.0503, Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm, Sat, 10am-5pm.

Displaying a range of artifacts and displays related to the history of computers, dating back to 1939 - Ongoing. Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 650.810.1010, Wed-Fri, noon-4pm, Sat, 11am-5pm and Sun, noon-4pm.

Displays of original Beethoven manuscripts, first editions, a lock of the composer's hair, art and demonstrations of historical keyboards - Ongoing. Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, Fifth floor, SJSU King Library, 150 E. San Fernando St, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.808.2058, Mon-Tue and Thu, 11am-6pm, Wed, 11am-8pm, Fri, 11am-5pm and Sat, 1-5pm.

Egyptian historical artifacts and displays - Ongoing. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, 1342 Naglee Ave at Park Ave, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.947.3636, Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm and Sat-Sun, 11am-6pm.

"Firefighters of the Past: Building Community" - Learn about Campbell's early firefighters and their legacy. Ongoing. Campbell Historical Museum, 51 N. Central Ave, Campbell (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.866.2119, www.cityofcampbell.com/museum/, Thu-Sun, noon-4pm.

History of Moffett Field - Ongoing. Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, Moffett Field, Mountain View (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 650.603.9827, Wed-Sat, 10am-2pm. Call a day in advance for passes. Picture ID needed.

Homes and businesses from early Santa Clara Valley - Including a hotel with rotating exhibits, art from the McKay Collection of California, trolley restorations and the Paulson House. Ongoing. History Park, 1600 Senter Rd, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.287.2290, Tue-Sun, noon-5pm.

"Horsing Around in San Mateo County" - Thru Dec 7. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City (The Peninsula), 650.299.0104, Tue-Sun, 10am-4pm.

"I Survived the Great Quake of 1989: Recollections of Loma Prieta Earthquake" - Thru Dec 6. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City (The Peninsula), 650.299.0104, Tue-Sun, 10am-4pm.

Images and displays related to Sunnyvale's history - Ongoing. Sunnyvale Historical Museum, 235 E. California Ave, Sunnyvale (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.749.0220.

"The Life and Legacy of the Stanford Family" - Ongoing. Cantor Arts Center, Palm Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University (The Peninsula), 650.723.4177, www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm.

"Living Traditions: Arts of the Americas" - Ongoing. Cantor Arts Center, Palm Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University (The Peninsula), 650.723.4177, www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm.

Local artifacts - Plus the recently restored McWilliams House, originally built in 1860. Ongoing. Free. Saratoga Historical Museum, 20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd, Saratoga (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.867.4311, Fri-Sun, 1-4pm.

"The Metaphysics of Notation" - Thru Mar 28. Cantor Arts Center, Palm Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University (The Peninsula), 650.723.4177, www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm.

The museum features exhibits celebrating the history of technology, including a vintage kitchen, a print shop and a radio-repair shop - Ongoing. MOAH Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave, Palo Alto (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 650.321.1004, Fri-Sun, 11am-4pm.

The museum hosts a variety of cutting-edge, hands-on exhibits about genetics, the human body, medicine, robots, virtual design, microchips, Earth, the universe and more. - Ongoing. Tech Museum, 201 S. Market St, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.294.TECH, www.thetech.org, Mon-Wed, 9am-5pm and Thu-Sun, 9am-8pm.

The museum hosts a variety of ongoing, hands-on exhibits for kids - Children's Discovery Museum, 180 Woz Way, San Jose (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.298.5437, Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm and Sun, noon-5pm.

Music and Drama exhibit - The history of the Gaslighter Theater, band and drama groups of Campbell Union High School and the more recent history of the Heritage Theatre told through photographs and artifacts. Ongoing. Campbell Historical Museum, 51 N. Central Ave, Campbell (South Bay/Silicon Valley), 408.866.2119, www.cityofcampbell.com/museum/, Thu-Sun, noon-4pm.