The History Museum of Los Gatos, located at 75 Church St. and formerly called the Forbes Mill Museum of Regional History, is participating with an Oct. 27 walking tour of historic downtown Los Gatos led by local author, historian and architect Alastair Dallas. Tour participants should meet at the museum at noon. The tour is free to Los Gatos Museum Association members and $5 for nonmembers. The museum will also be open that afternoon for visitors to see its current exhibit, "Los Gatos Observed," which is based on Dallas' book of the same name.

On both Oct. 26 and 27, the Saratoga Historical Foundation and Museum, 20450 Los Gatos­Saratoga Road, will have its latest exhibits open from 1 to 4 p.m. They are "Crops In, School Starts: Early School Life in Saratoga" and "Vintage Saratoga: A Pageant of Wineries Through the Years." The exhibit is free.

These two museums and 15 others throughout the county are also holding a promotional contest. Visitors to participating museums during October can obtain a free calendar with a "passport" section on it. For each museum they visit, they can get their passport stamped. Once a passport accumulates at least four stamps, its owner can turn it in for a chance to win free membership to various museums or a free ride for two in a 1936 Stinson Gullwing antique airplane, donated by Len von Clemm.

The Heritage Council of Santa Clara County is a nonprofit organization of local museums and historical associations formed to promote awareness of the history and heritage of the county and to identify organizations that actively promote cultural awareness. For more information about the organization or about other participating museums, visit www.historymonth.org.