The Tech Interactive

The building has a distinctive mango and azure color, and has three floors. On the lower level there is a complex multi-story sculpture titled Origin, inside a m) cylindrical tower. The artwork portrays relationships among art, technology, and natural resources of the earth. Near the entrance to the building, there is Science on a Roll, a popular rolling ball sculpture by George Rhoads. The front wall is inscribed with quotations from iconic Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Bill Hewlett, David Packard, Bob Noyce, and Gordon Moore. The building was designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta.

The IMAX Dome Theater, opened in 1998 and upgraded since then, shows mainstream movies as well as educational films. It is Northern California's only domed IMAX theater and has the first dome laser projector in the world, seating up to 280 people.

The Tech is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.

Planning began in 1978 by members of the Junior League of Palo Alto, with later assistance by the San Jose Junior League. The City of San Jose promised funding for a Technology Center of Silicon Valley in the 1980s, but progress was slow.

The first m²) temporary exhibit opened in 1990; The Garage, named in homage to the HP Garage, was housed in San Jose's former convention center. On October 31, 1998, a brand-new m²) facility was inaugurated, named The Tech Museum of Innovation. In May 2019, the organization was renamed as The Tech Interactive and announced a partnership with Discovery Education.

In 2018, an expansion of Tech Interactive by m²) was proposed, as part of a major high-rise office development in Park Habitat.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Tech Interactive temporarily closed for in-person visits in March, 2020, and published online STEM resources through "The Tech Interactive at Home", in English, and "The Tech Interactive en Casa", in Spanish.