Policies

To ensure that all children have the opportunity to visit The Tech Interactive, we grant hundreds of donation requests from school and community organizations every year. We provide up to four general admission tickets (total value of $108) to nonprofit organizations for fundraising events that are not religious or political in nature.

We are unable to donate other goods or services, such as memberships or IMAX tickets. As a nonprofit organization, we do not receive any tax deduction for our donation to your organization, which means we do not require a receipt.

Eligibility

To qualify for consideration for ticket donation:
- Requests must be made directly by/from the eligible organization or by an individual serving in an official capacity at that organization (on a host committee, etc.)
- All requests must be at least two months before the event.
- Organizations may only receive one donation per year.
Ticket Requests

To request tickets, please complete the Ticket Donation Request Form.

Due to the heavy volume of donation requests, we regret we are unable to accept walk-ups, telephone, or email requests or inquiries.

Incomplete forms and requests from organizations not meeting the eligibility criteria will automatically be rejected.

The Tech can only approve a limited number of ticket donation requests each year. We apologize if your request can not be fulfilled.

If approved you will be requested to provide a pre-stamped envelope for tickets. The Tech is not responsible for delivery delays.

Policies and Disclaimers

The Tech reserves the right to approve or decline any request at their sole discretion.

The Tech may research any organization to ensure compliance with our ticket donation policy.

The Tech has the right to void any tickets or donation requests that are in violation of our policies.

Lost or stolen tickets will not be replaced

Tickets are non-transferable and are not eligible for resale.
Welcome to www.thetech.org (the “Site”). Access to and use of the Site is provided subject to the following terms and conditions.

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY AS YOUR ACCESS AND USE OF THE SITE CONSTITUTES AGREEMENT TO ALL TERMS, CONDITIONS AND NOTICES CONTAINED OR REFERENCED HEREIN.

Terms and Conditions of Use

Whether or not you have reviewed them, by using this Site you are deemed to have agreed to these terms and conditions of use. The Tech Interactive (hereafter “The Tech”) reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. By using this Site after we post any changes to these terms and conditions, you agree to accept those changes. You should check these terms and conditions periodically for changes. If at any time you choose not to accept these terms and conditions of use, please do not use this Site.

All content on this Site is subject to change without notice. The Tech may change, suspend or discontinue all or any aspect of the Site at any time, including the availability of any feature, database, or content, without prior notice or liability. The Tech reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate your access to all or part of this Site with or without notice.

Scope of Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions apply only to your use of the Site and all other sites and services owned or operated by The Tech (inclusive of electronic and non-electronic sites and services). These terms and conditions do not apply to your use of sites not owned or operated by The Tech to which the Site links.

Use of Materials Posted on this Site

The Tech’s Digital Assets and Works, registered and unregistered, are protected by copyright and trademark laws, and are the property of The Tech. “Digital Assets” as used in this Use Policy means content from any form of media (e.g., photographs, video, text, audio, web pages, etc.) preserved in digital form. “Works” as used in this Use Policy means any work in the literary, scientific or artistic domain, whatever may be the mode or form of its expression (including digital form), including without limitation any of the following works: a book, pamphlet and other writing; a lecture, address, or other work of the same nature; a cinematographic work to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to cinematography; a work of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, or engraving; a photographic work to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to photography; a work of applied art; an illustration, map, plan, sketch or three-dimensional work relative to geography, topography, architecture or science; a performance; a broadcast; or a compilation of data to the extent it is protected as a copyrightable work.

Unless otherwise stated in this Terms of Service, you may (i) print or download The Tech’s Digital Assets and (ii) copy, reproduce, adapt or distribute Work; provided, however, that in the case of both (i) and (ii) you do so solely for informational, educational and other noncommercial purposes.

Some examples of permitted use of digital assets not requiring prior written permission:
- a handout including a Tech activity for an educational workshop
- a link from your website to a specific Tech Digital Asset;
- as part of a resource packet that you create for your students; and
- a reproduction of a Work for use in an educational setting (e.g., in a school classroom or in an after school program).
You may not reproduce, record, publish, modify or distribute any Tech Digital Assets or Works for commercial purposes without prior written consent from The Tech. Requests for commercial use of Digital Assets and Works or questions as to whether a specific use is permissible or requires written consent should be sent to: info@thetech.org. Requests by the media for use of any image should be coordinated through our media relations office.

Some examples of restricted use, requiring prior written permission:
- a publication containing reproductions of Tech activities or images, Digital Assets or Works, to be sold or provided in exchange for a fee;
- use of Tech images, Digital Assets or Works to promote a commercial program, product, event or activity, such as a science exhibition not produced by The Tech (e.g. Body Worlds Decoded);
- serving Tech pages on your website; and
- development, fabrication or manufacture of exhibits based, in whole or in part, on Digital Assets or Works, for sale, lease, license, rental or other distribution thereof in which money or any other form of compensation or consideration is exchanged therefor (whether or not the recipient will be using such exhibit for informational, educational or other non-commercial purposes).
Purchases

Certain products and services may be available for purchase on the Site. Product selection may change without notice and availability is not guaranteed even if it appears to be available on the Site.

When ordering a product or service, you will provide the information including your accurate name, address, email address, and billing information so that we can complete the order and ship the product if applicable.

By providing us with a payment method, such as a credit or debit card, you authorize us to charge the price of your purchase, as presented to you at the time of purchase, to the specified account.

For more information on our Website Privacy Policy, click here.

Links

The Site provides links to internet sites maintained by others. The Tech is not responsible for the availability of any other site to which this Site links nor does The Tech endorse or take responsibility for the content, advertising, products or other materials made available through any other site. Under no circumstances shall The Tech be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damage that is caused or alleged to have been caused to you in connection with your use of, or reliance on, any content, goods or services available on any other site.

Trademarks

The trademarks, service marks, and logos that appear on the Site, including but not limited to THE TECH INTERACTIVE, THE TECH, THE TECH CHALLENGE, THE TECH ACADEMIES, BOWERS INSTITUTE, and THE TECH FOR GLOBAL GOOD are registered or unregistered marks of The Tech ("Tech Trademarks"). Tech Trademarks may not be used without The Tech's prior, written permission. Trademarks of third parties that appear on the Site may not be used without prior, written permission of their respective owners. You acknowledge and agree that nothing on the Site grants, expressly or implicitly, by estoppel or otherwise, any right or license to use any of the Tech Trademarks or may be construed to mean that The Tech has authority to grant any right or license on behalf of any third-party trademark owner.

Security

Violations of system or network security are prohibited and may result in criminal and/or civil liability. Violations include, but are not limited to, attempting to gain or successfully gaining unauthorized access to systems or data, denial-of-service attacks, malware attacks, or any other malicious activity that would compromise the functionality of the Site or cause harm to Site visitors. The Tech will investigate incidents involving such violations and may involve and cooperate with law enforcement if a criminal violation is suspected. Complaints or concerns regarding suspected illegal use or network security should be sent to info@thetech.org.

Disclaimers

THE SERVICES, MATERIALS, DIGITAL ASSETS ON THIS SITE AND WORKS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

NEITHER THE TECH NOR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS WARRANT THAT ANY FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT THE SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES THEM AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

NEITHER THE TECH NOR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE MATERIALS IN THE SITE IN TERMS OF ITS CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. YOU (AND NOT THE TECH OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATED COMPANIES OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS) ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.

APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Limitation of Liability

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO NEGLIGENCE, WILL THE TECH OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE SITE, THE MATERIALS ON THE SITE, DIGITAL ASSETS OR WORKS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Privacy Policy

We are committed to protecting your privacy and security and have explained in detail the steps we take to do so. We urge you to read our Website Privacy Policy found here.

Jurisdictional Issues

We control and operate this Site from our offices in the United States of America and do not represent that materials on the Site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Persons who choose to access this Site from other locations do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.

Choice Of Law

If any disputes arise regarding your use of this Site, such disputes shall be resolved according to the laws of the State of California, without reference to its choice of law provisions, and the federal or state courts of the County of Santa Clara shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all claims. If any of these terms and conditions are found unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision will be considered severable from the remaining terms and conditions, and will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

ALL TEXTUAL, GRAPHICAL, AND OTHER CONTENT APPEARING ON THIS WEB SITE ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE TECH OR IN SOME CASES THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS FROM WHOM THE TECH HAS SECURED PERMISSION.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL. NOT TRANSFERABLE. NO REFUNDS. Restrictions: Ticket is a revocable license. Any violation of law, or any inappropriate behavior by the user of this ticket may result in revocation of the license with no refund of the purchase price or any associated charges. No refunds, exchanges, or time extensions on expired tickets. Ticket is not redeemable for cash, not for resale, and not valid with any other offer. The Tech Interactive is not responsible for any lost, duplicate, or stolen ticket(s). All prices listed are in U.S. dollars.

TICKET IS FOR PURCHASE OR TRANSFER BY ELECTRONIC MEANS ONLY. PURCHASE OF TICKET FROM OR SALES BY A THIRD PARTY IS NOT AUTHORIZED. TICKETS NOT PURCHASED ELECTRONICALLY CARRY A HIGH RISK OF BEING FRAUDULENT. THE TECH INTERACTIVE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE PHOTO I.D. FOR ENTRY. EACH BARCODE IS ELECTRONICALLY GENERATED UNIQUE AND IS VALID FOR ONE SCAN DURING LISTED DATES / TIMES ONLY. TICKET IS VOID IF ALTERED IN ANY WAY. THE TECH INTERACTIVE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO FRAUDULENT OR SUSPECT TICKET HOLDERS.
Use of The Tech Interactive web site

The Tech, a not-for-profit science and technology center, operates a web site on the World Wide Web under the name The Tech Interactive Web Site. Authorization to view, copy, print and distribute the content of The Tech web site is subject to approval of The Tech, and must meet the following conditions: (i) it is used for educational, non-commercial purposes only; (ii) any copy or portion must include The Tech copyright notice at the bottom of this page; (iii) no modifications are made; and (iv) The Tech reserves the right to revoke such authorization at any time, and any such use shall be discontinued upon written notice from The Tech.
Last updated: March 2023

Your privacy is important to us at The Tech Interactive. In this privacy policy, we explain how we collect information from visitors, including any personal information, and what we do with that information. We also describe how we protect any personal information you provide, and how you can opt out from different types of data collection.

Please read this policy carefully. Your continued use of The Tech’s Services means you agree to its terms. Thank you!

Contents:
1. Information We Collect
2. How Collected Information is Used
3. Sharing Information
4. Protecting Personal Information
5. Rights and Controls
6. International Visitors
7. Third-Party Services
8. Changes and Updates to This Policy
9. How to Contact Us About Privacy Concerns
1. Information We Collect

The Tech Interactive (“we”, “us” or "The Tech”) may collect personal information related to your use of, or participation in, our computer or mobile software, websites (collectively, the “Services”), The Tech’s exhibits, classes, activities, newsletters, memberships, donations, ticket purchases, purchases from our store, games, surveys, submissions, communication by email, postal mail, telephone, fax, or in person, teacher outreach, other education-related activities (all collectively, “Programs”), and any other information you voluntarily submit to us.

Information we collect about your use of the Services may include which pages, features, or screens you access, how you interact with online content, how you use our search features, and what links you choose to click on. Ways in which we collect data about your use of the Services include:

User Provided Information

The Tech collects personal information you may enter when using our website. Data may include, but is not limited to: names, phone numbers, postal addresses, and email addresses, employers, billing information such as contact, billing address, and credit card information, demographic information such as age and gender identity, and unique identifiers such as membership numbers.

Cookies

Like most websites, we use cookies, which are small files written to your computer or mobile device (often through your web browser) when you access the Services. Cookies often store things such as your user preferences, account information for our online store, preferred discussion forums, and information about how you use the Services. Some cookies are required to use features of the Services. Other cookies collect information about how you use the Services. We may also use cookies in connection with features of the Services provided by third parties, for displaying content from third-party websites, or for sharing content from the Services on social networks.

Payment Service Provider

When you purchase tickets, make reservations for a field trip or birthday party, register for a paid event, or make a donation, The Tech uses Worldpay, a third-party payment service provider, to process your payment. Our payment service provider stores your credit card information in an encrypted format and that information is deleted every 30 days. If you make a down payment for a reservation and have a balance due, or you opt in to recurring payments for annual membership renewals or regularly scheduled donations, your credit card information will continue to be stored either until the balance of a reservation has been paid, or you contact us to discontinue recurring payments. For information on Worldpay’s privacy policy, click here: https://online.worldpay.com/terms/privacy.

Cookies Used for Behavioral Ad Tracking

Please be aware that third-party vendors may place or recognize one or more cookies on your computer when you use the Services, and may record information to these cookies based upon your activities on the Services and on third-party websites and other third-party services. These third-party vendors may use information about those activities to inform, optimize, and serve advertisements. In particular, we may use third-party vendors to engage in behavioral ad tracking or “remarketing,” in which advertisements you see on third-party websites and services may be based on your prior use of the Services.

If your web browser is configured to allow third-party cookies, your browser will receive a targeting cookie. The cookie can be read by our ad delivery partners to target your browser with ads about The Tech when you visit other websites to remind you about our Programs and Services.

You can configure your web browser to block third-party cookies or install web browser extension programs, which block trackers and third-party cookies, though doing so can have an impact on some site features. If you block retargeting cookies, you may still see The Tech’s advertisements, but they won't be targeted to you based on information gathered about your browsing behavior.

Please note that we are not responsible for the activities of third parties that may not comply with your opt-out requests.

Web Beacons / Clear GIFs / Tracking Pixels

Web beacons, also known as clear GIFs and tracking pixels, are markers on web pages, email messages, or other content that are linked to third-party tracking tools and technologies we use or license to provide features of the Services. They may be used with cookies, and may be either visible or invisible. Collected information includes, but is not limited to, data about which pages you access, how you interact with online content, how you use our search features, and what links you choose to click on. We use third-party data collection, tracking, analytics, and ad serving tools to gather and analyze this data.

Server Logs

Our servers receive and record certain information about the visitors to our website. Page requests, your Internet protocol (“IP”) address, the web browser and operating system you are using to connect to our website, and other information necessary to display the Internet pages and information you request from our servers will be collected. As IP addresses are typically assigned in country-specific blocks, we may also be able to identify the country from which your computer is connecting to the Internet.

Browser- and Server-Based Scripts

Scripts used by The Tech are browser- and server-based software programs which provide certain functionality and collect data about how you use the Services.

Information About Children Under the Age of 13

In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without obtaining parental consent. If you are under 13 years of age, please do not give us any personal information. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete this information.

We may collect information from parents, guardians, and other adults identifying children under the age of 13 in connection with membership and participation in our Programs. We will not knowingly display personal information about children under the age of 13 on our website without seeking parental consent. If you are a parent or guardian and you discover that your child under 13 years of age has obtained an account on the Services or has otherwise provided personal information to us, then you may alert us at info@thetech.org and request that we delete the child’s personal information from our systems.

2. How Collected Information is Used

Collected information may be used to provide, improve and create new Programs, deliver and improve the Services, gather information about how the Services are functioning, detect and correct problems with the Services, solicit community involvement and financial support, and communicate with members, donors, Program participants, store customers, website visitors, users of the Services, and other people who contact us.

We may also use your information in any manner disclosed to you at the time the information is collected, or in any other manner to which you give consent.

We may use aggregate information (collected data which has been compiled and no longer contains personal information, or from which all personal information has been removed) for any purpose.

3. Sharing Information

Except as disclosed in this policy or with your consent, we will not intentionally disclose any personal information about you (such as your full name, street address, telephone number, or email address) to any third party, or sell, trade, or give out email addresses to companies or other organizations.

We may disclose information to third parties under the following circumstances:
- Any information that you voluntarily choose to include in a publicly accessible area of the Services, such as an online bulletin board, will be available to anyone who has access to that content, including other users.
- Third parties may have access to or process your information to performs services for The Tech such as website hosting, development, maintenance, and other services. We generally limit the information provided to third parties only to that which is reasonably necessary for them to perform their functions, and we require them to agree to not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than performing their functions.
- We may make certain personal information available to third parties for various purposes related to The Tech’s Services and Programs, including business or marketing purposes, or compliance with reporting obligations.
- We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to comply with any law or regulation, court order, judicial or other government subpoena or warrant, or to otherwise cooperate with law enforcement or other governmental agencies.
- We also reserve the right to disclose your information as we believe, in good faith, is appropriate or necessary to (i) take precautions against liability, (ii) protect ourselves or others from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful uses or activity, (iii) investigate and defend ourselves against any third-party claims or allegations, (iv) protect the security or integrity of our Programs and any facilities or equipment used to make our Programs available, and (v) protect our property or other legal rights (including, but not limited to, enforcement of our agreements) or the rights, property, or safety of others.
- We may also use your information in any manner disclosed to you at the time the information is collected, or in any other manner to which you give consent.
- We may share aggregated information that does not identify you with third parties for various data purposes, including understanding site usage patterns and improving site functionality.
4. Protecting Personal Information

We take steps in an effort to protect your information from unauthorized access by third parties, however, any information you provide is done at your own risk. We cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you provide to us nor can we guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed, whether by breach of any of our physical, technical, or managerial safeguards or otherwise. If you give us personal information, you are accepting the terms stated in this Privacy Policy and in our Terms of Service (Use Policy). If you don't agree to these terms, please do not use the features of the Services that collect this information.

Any personal information you enter into forms on our website is secured by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) page encryption during transmission. This ensures that the information is encrypted during transmission of the data between your computer or mobile device and our servers.

You can verify that any page on which you enter information is secured with encryption by using your browser to ensure it has the secure protocol (the URL begins with https://) and that our website's SSL security certificate is valid. Typically, clicking on the lock icon displayed in the web browser will display the status of the security certificate.

5. Rights and Controls

Although we provide mechanisms by which you may be able to exercise certain controls with respect to the collection, security, and use of your information, we cannot guarantee that these mechanisms will be effective or free from circumvention by third parties.

Opting Out of Information Sharing for Marketing Purposes

If you do not want us to share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes, you may contact us via email at info@thetech.org.

Opting Out of Email Newsletters

If you do not want to receive a particular email newsletter subscription from us, please click on the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email newsletter. This will remove your email address from that newsletter subscription. Please allow up to 10 business days for any opt-out request to be processed.

Opting Out of Specific Uses of Cookies (Including Cookies Used for Behavioral Ad Tracking)

You can configure your web browser to block cookies or install web browser extension programs, which block trackers and cookies, though doing so can have an impact on some site features. See “Browser, Mobile Phone, and Operating System Setting” section below for more information.

Opting Out of Analytics

To collect and process tracking information about use of the Services, we use various analytics tools including Google Analytics, which has its own privacy policy and opt-out features described at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.

You can also use third-party web browser extensions to restrict or block web beacons and trackers. Please note that if you use blocking software, some of the features of the Services may no longer work correctly.

Browser, Mobile Phone, and Operating System Settings

Your web browser, mobile phone, operating system, and other available software such as browser extensions may provide you with additional privacy settings and controls, including the ability to restrict or prevent cookies, trackers, and the use of your location information. Please be aware, however, that we do not use or support the “Do Not Track” setting available in many Internet browsers.

You may also choose not to provide information to us, but in that case you may be unable to use some or all of the features of the Services.

6. International Visitors

The Tech is located in the United States, and the Services are hosted in and designed for visitors located within the United States. If you choose to use the Services from the European Union or other regions of the world with laws governing data collection and use that differ from U.S. law, please be aware that you are transferring your personal information outside of those regions to the United States for storage and processing. Also, we may transfer your data from the U.S. to other countries or regions in connection with storage and processing of data, fulfilling your requests, and operating our Programs. By providing any information, including personal information, you consent to such transfer, storage, and processing. If you do not consent, please do not provide information or use the Services from outside the U.S.

7. Third-Party Services

Some features of the Services are provided by third parties. This includes sharing on social networks, online store functions, prepaid parking reservations, matching funds locators for donors, and other features. The Tech is not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties. Information you provide to third parties when using these features is not governed by this privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services before using them.

8. Changes and Updates to This Policy

Our privacy policy may change from time to time to address new issues and reflect changes to the manner in which we gather, use, and share information. When a change substantially alters your rights or obligations, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you, such as advising you by email that the policy has changed or posting a notice on our website. All changes to our privacy policy will be posted on this page.

9. How to Contact Us About Privacy Concerns

You can contact The Tech at any time about our privacy policy. If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to: info@thetech.org. If you would like to contact us by mail, please use the address below.

Privacy Administrator
The Tech Interactive
201 S. Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113-2008
The Tech intends the information contained in The Tech web site to be accurate and reliable. However, errors may occasionally occur. Therefore, all information and materials are provided “AS IS.” In no event will The Tech be liable for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of the information contained in The Tech web site.
Any comments or materials sent to The Tech web site including feedback data, such as questions, comments, suggestions and any other response, shall be deemed to be non-confidential. The Tech shall have no obligation of any kind with respect to such response, The Tech shall be free to use, reproduce, distribute and publicly display such response without limitation. The Tech Interactive shall also be free to use any ideas, concepts, know-how or techniques contained in such response for any purpose whatsoever.