Exploring Mission Santa Clara & SCU: From Chapel Bells to Robot Librarians

When a friend mentioned a new exhibit at the De Saisset Museum on the Santa Clara University (SCU) campus, we figured — why not check it out? What started as a casual trip to a local museum, turned into a full-on afternoon adventure: history, innovative technology, fearless squirrels in impeccably kept gardens, and ice cream tacos. YES, ice cream tacos.

Living in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, we’re never far from historical sites, landmarks, or hidden wonders waiting to be explored. Whether it’s a centuries-old Spanish mission or a cutting-edge university campus, there’s always something new to discover – sometimes right under our noses, or even better, both in the same place!

So if you’re hunting for something fun to do on a laid-back weekend, Mission Santa Clara and the Santa Clara University campus fit the bill perfectly! 

What to See on the Santa Clara University campus

Mission Santa Clara de Asís — A Place Where Time Slows Down

After parking near the Mission, we were immediately struck by how lush and inviting the grounds felt. Carefully manicured lawns stretched out before us, with pathways lined by vibrant rose bushes, trellises draped with blooming wisteria, and shady trees welcoming visitors to relax under.

And, of course, plenty of fearless squirrels eagerly hoping for a snack. Unfortunately, we didn’t have anything to give them. Next time we’ll be prepared! 

As we wove through the gardens and walkways, we arrived at the Mission’s main chapel. Stepping inside was as though we had traveled back in time 100 years! Some of the crucifixes, statues of saints, and other décor were original of the era, and still adorn the chapel today. 

The mission continues to offer Sunday morning and evening masses, and noon masses every weekday, drawing both worshipers and visitors of all faiths to enjoy the sermon and stick around to wander through the serene beauty of the mission grounds.

A Quick (But Fascinating) History Lesson of Mission Santa Clara

Founded in 1777 by Spanish Franciscans, Mission Santa Clara de Asís was the 8th of 21 of California’s chain of missions, stretching from San Diego to Sonoma. It also holds the distinction of being the first California mission named after a woman — Saint Clare of Assisi, who founded the order of the Poor Clares in 1212 and was a close companion of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Mission was originally built along the Guadalupe River, on land inhabited by the Ohlone people, whose lives were forever changed by the arrival of Spanish settlers. Over time the mission became a center for agriculture, religious conversion, and education, shaping the region’s cultural landscape forever.

Fires, earthquakes, and floods forced the Mission to relocate several times, eventually settling at its current location in Santa Clara in 1822 (though the church had burned down again at this location as well, and rebuilt in 1926).

Today, it remains a working chapel within Santa Clara University, making it the only California mission integrated into a university campus. The mission’s presence continues to meld the past and present, preserving its rich history while serving as a spiritual and historical cornerstone for the university and surrounding community.

Beyond the Mission: Exploring the Santa Clara University Campus

The mission was spectacular on its own, but our adventure had only just begun! Stepping out of the chapel, we found ourselves seamlessly transitioning onto the Santa Clara University campus — a place where history and modern innovation coexist seamlessly. 

Founded by the mission in 1851, Santa Clara University carries the honorable title of being California’s oldest college and is best known for its law, engineering, and business programs, along with studies in communications and psychology.

At first glance, the campus was beautiful and intimate, but packed with surprises!

The Ricard Memorial Observatory was part of the university’s Astrophysics department, observing celestial objects and phenomena. Today it stands as a memorial and houses Archaeology and other university documents.

Speaking of documents and books…

Located in the SCU’s Library, is the university’s massive Automated Retrieval System (ARS), or “The Robot”, a condensed storage system for books and literature that are retrieved by a ‘robot’ almost instantaneously. 

From a viewing window above, you can watch ‘the robot’ collect books and rapidly transport them to a ‘dropbox’ and then be retrieved by the person requesting it. If only they’d invent one of those for the kitchen! 🙂

De Saisset Museum

After a brief detour from our original plan (we swear it was strategic), we finally made our way to De Saisset Museum (free) – the reason we went there to begin with. 

The main gallery on the ground floor features a rotating lineup of exhibits. On this occasion, it was a rather sobering yet fascinating look at The Plague Archives exhibition by Maya Gurantz.

Downstairs, we found an impressive permanent collection of mission-era artifacts and a thoughtfully curated exhibit on the day-to-day life of the Ohlone people, along with the history of neighboring tribes like the Miwok and Yokuts.

This is a must-see collection for anybody interested in learning more about local history.

We’d also recommend visiting their site to check the upcoming exhibition schedule and hours of operation (normally they’re closed for the summer academic break).

We’re excited to see what the next exhibit will be!

More Things to Do on the Santa Clara University Campus

SCU has more to offer:

If you are into Theater and Dance – Santa Clara University College of Arts and Sciences stages productions every year. 

And, if you love college sports, SCU’s women’s soccer team is one of the best in the nation! Men’s soccer and basketball teams bring their A-game too. Go Broncos! 

Where to Eat Nearby (Our Favorite Picks)

Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos

If you take nothing else from this article, hear us loud and clear: You CANNOT miss Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos – PERIOD. You’ll thank us later. Imagine holding a freshly baked waffle cone taco in your hand, stuffed with your favorite ice cream (we tried the Honey Lavender and Cookies & Cream) that was dipped in your choice of chocolate and topping. THEN, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen! This, our friends, is where it’s at! 

Bonus: Lori Phillips (founder and owner of Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos) also sources locally-made and organic ingredients for all her concoctions. So, Do good. Eat good!

Santa Clara Farmers’ Market

If you are on the Santa Clara University Campus on a Saturday, it’s just a 10-minute walk to Franklin Square, where the Farmers’ Market is happening every Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Check it for fresh local produce, fish and meats, pick up a crunchy samosa from India Gourmet food stand — amazing! or a home-made tamale, and sip on Soul Patch kombucha (that stuff ROCKS!), all while enjoying some live local music. 

Rantei Japanese Cuisine

Since we’ve already mentioned Santa Clara’s Franklin’s Square, we simply HAVE to tell you about Rantei. Our absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Santa Clara (and possible in the whole SF Bay Area). We don’t know how many times we’ve been here, or how many friends we’ve brought to share the experience.

This place is legit! The quality of ingredients is superb, the chefs are phenomenal, and the service is outstanding. Even mentioning the place (like now), always makes us want sushi… Happens every time! 🙂

Other Great Places Nearby

If you’re in the area and like museums, we can recommend Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara (free), focuses on contemporary California art (don’t forget to check their site to see what’s currently on display), Agnews Museum (dedicated to the history of Agnews State Asylum of the Insane), Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum Complex (mummies, tombs, and alchemy). 

If nature is your thing, go smell the roses in San Jose Rose Garden (especially lovely in spring), or have a stroll at Ulistac Natural Area (perfect for a quiet nature walk).

And if you want some live entertainment, be it music or sports – head over to Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, one of the best arenas in the San Francisco Bay Area (graced by Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Rolling Stones, and many others). There is a reason why both Super Bowl LX and a few FIFA World Cup games will be hosted here in 2026.

Final Thoughts

We came for a museum exhibit and ended up wandering through California history, science, and a little serenity. Highly recommend for a low-key but packed-with-surprises weekend outing. Now if you’ll excuse us… we’re off to get sushi.

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