de Saisset Museum

The de Saisset Museum is one of the superior, but unknown museums in Silicon Valley. I enjoy this museum for both its California history and photography collection. They also have a fantastic collection of Mission Santa Clara artifacts.

I highly recommend their docent tours which often include the Santa Clara Mission. The photography and “work on paper” collection account for a large portion of their inventory. Photography features artists such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Wynn Bullock, Andy Warhol, Judy Dater, and Imogene Cunningham.

The de Saisset Museum’s “work on paper” ranges from modern monotypes all the way back to the Renaissance. This museum has been in operation for over 65 years and the quality of their 13,000 objects portray their dedicated efforts over those years.

The de Saisset Museum also has sculptural figures, decorative art, porcelain vessels, and early mission California furnishings. The museum is located at Santa Clara University. Check their website for hours and tours as they can close seasonally for up to a month at a time.