Museum tour Policy

Booking
Requirements

At least 6 weeks in advance of the requested date:
- Custom Tour
- Custom Museum Experience
*Requests received less than 6 weeks prior to the tour date are not guaranteed. 

At least 4 weeks in advance of the requested date:
- Small Group Tour (up to 12 visitors)
- Medium Group Tour (up to 24 visitors)
- Large Group Tour (up to 36 visitors)
*Requests received less than 4 weeks prior to the tour date are not guaranteed. 

All tours are subject to docent availability. While we strive to accommodate all requests, we may not always be able to host your tour on the requested date.


Payment and Fees


Payment is due at least 2 weeks before your tour date.

  • Preferred payment method: Credit card through our online payment portal (processing fees apply).

  • Checks and cash are also accepted.

  • For current tour pricing, please visit the JAMsj Tour Page.

  • Title One Schools may qualify for a partial fee waiver. Select "Title One School" when making your tour request or contact our tour coordinator for more information (tourcoordinator@jamsj.org).

  • Custom Museum Experience: Coordination fee is a flat $100 regardless of the size of the group. If museum staff involvement is required for custom activities, an additional staff coordination fee will be charged, ranging from $60 to $120 depending on the type of activities and length of the tour. For more details, please contact our tour coordinator.

Rescheduling your tour


  • Tours are nonrefundable once payment has been processed and the tour is fully confirmed.

  • We are happy to reschedule your tour to a later date within 6 months of the original tour date.

Chaperone requirement for School Groups

  • School groups or groups with minors must have 1 adult chaperone per 12 students/minors.

  • Groups not meeting this requirement may not be admitted for the tour.

  • Teachers and chaperones must manage their groups, monitor behavior, and stay with their groups at all times during the tour.



How to prepare for your JAMsj Tour

The Day of your Tour


  • Arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled time and wait at the museum's front entrance.

  • Your docent will greet you and allow anyone who needs to use the restroom before the tour begins.

  • For larger groups, the Tour Coordinator may request splitting into subgroups. This should be coordinated before arrival due to space limitations in our lobby.

Parking


  • Our private parking lot accommodates approximately 10 cars but cannot accommodate tour or school buses.

  • Visitors may park during their tour but cannot leave vehicles past the visit or overnight.

  • Tour or school buses may pull into the driveway for drop-off and pick-up only. 

Public Transportation


JAMsj is located just a little over 5 blocks from the Japantown/Ayer VTA Light Rail Station. 

Accessibility


JAMsj is fully accessible. Please indicate if your group has any special needs on the Group Tour Request Form. Please email our tour coordinator if you have any questions about the tour accommodation.

Food and Beverage


  • To preserve our artifacts, no food or beverages (including water) are allowed in the Main Gallery.

  • Leave all food and drinks at the Reception Desk and retrieve them upon exit.

Bags and Backpacks


Please leave all large bags and backpacks at the Reception desk during the tour to prevent accidents and to prevent the displacing of artifacts.

JAMsj Covid-19 Policy for Visitors

Prescreening Questionnaire Acknowledgement Required

By entering the museum or participating in a museum tour, event or gathering, participants are acknowledging that they have reviewed and answered “no” to all these questions.

  1. Within the past 10 days, have you:

    1. been diagnosed with, or tested positive for, COVID-19?

    2. had close contact or lived in the same household with someone who in the past 10 days has been in isolation for, or tested positive for, COVID-19?


  2. Within the last 24 hours, have you had any of the following?

    1. A cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing

    2. A fever of 100.4° or higher

    3. Chills, fatigue, or muscle and body aches

    4. Headache or a sore throat

    5. A persistent runny nose

    6. Diarrhea

    7. A sudden loss of taste or smell

COVID-19 and Flu Safety Guidelines on the tour day

At the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, many of our docents and presenters are elders who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 and other illnesses. To protect their health, we kindly ask for your cooperation with the following guidelines:

  • If you or any member of your group is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu (such as fever, coughing, chills, etc.), please reconsider your visit.

  • For the safety of our docents, if anyone in your group has been recently sick or exposed to COVID-19, we ask that they remain at home or wear a mask.

  • We recommend that all members of medium and larger-sized groups wear masks during the tour.


Thank you for your understanding and support
in keeping our docents safe and healthy.



Support our work in preserving history.