Head to the vintageTEK museum and SurplusGizmos, plus geology and pinball museum side quests
Self-guided visit to the vintageTEK museum and SurplusGizmos. Check out some of Portland’s tech history, see some cool machines and rummage through shelves stacked high with electronics and other treasures! We’ve also made a couple suggestions of other fun nerdy things to do while you’re in the Beaverton/Hillsboro area.
Join the Teardown 2026 Signal group to co-ordinate car rides or transit parties, or find folks heading that way at pre-registration on Thursday.
The volunteers at the vintageTEK museum are opening their doors from 2pm to 5pm for Teardown attendees. The vintageTEK museum is at 13489 SW Karl Braun Dr, Beaverton, OR 97077.
To get there on public transit, take the MAX light rail blue line towards Hillsborough from the stop on Holladay St just south of the Lloyd Center. Take the MAX to Millikan Way (35 mins) and it’s less than a ten minute walk to the museum. You can also drive, which takes 25 mins or more depending on traffic.
SurplusGizmos is an iconic local surplus store with lots of interesting electronics and science equipment. It is open from 10am until 6pm on Thursdays. SurplusGizmos is at 5797 NE Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97124. It’s a 25 min drive from the conference venue or a 15 minute drive away from the vintageTEK museum.
Next Level Pinball is a pinball museum and one of the world’s largest pinball arcades with over 640 pinball and arcade games. The entrance fee is $23, which includes unlimited free play as well as entrance to the museum. Next Level is at 1458 NE 25th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97124.
If you’re a fan of geology, another thing to do on this side of town is a visit to the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. The museum has an $18 entrance fee, and can be found at 26385 NW Groveland Dr, Hillsboro, OR 97124.