California Academy of Science

If you’re visiting San Francisco, be sure to visit the California Academy of Sciences, located in the heart of Golden Gate Park.

One of the most popular attractions in San Francisco.

The Academy of Sciences has been a part of San Francisco history since the very beginning. Formed in 1853, only a few years after California was accepted into the United States, the Academy was originally a group of scientists interested in researching every aspect of California’s natural sciences. The group opened the museum in 1874, which changed locations several times until it finally landed in its current home in Golden Gate Park.

The Academy of Sciences buildings were damaged enough in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that developers began planning to rebuild the facilities. In 2005 the exhibits were moved to a temporary location on Howard Street while construction began on a new, much more environmentally-friendly building. In September 2008, the new California Academy of Sciences opened to the public – with a series of new attractions which brought the Academy into the 21st century.

The Steinhart Aquarium opened in 1923, and was rebuilt in the recent construction. The new aquarium is home to over 900 species of marine life from around the world. Included in this menagerie are fish, penguins, mollusks, sharks, and many others. The most extensive part of this new aquarium construction is the Philippine Coral Reef, which measures 25 feet deep. One of the deepest live corral exhibits in the world, it houses a diverse array of life from the Phillipines. Colorful fish dart in and out, while sharks and stingrays float placidly by spectators.

There are other exciting features of the Steinhart Aquarium - be sure to check out the alligator swamp and feeding time at the penguin colony. You can also view the penguins from home via the PenguinCam!

The Morrison Planetarium has been a popular attraction of the California Academy of Sciences for over fifty years. Once home to a one-of-a-kind star projector designed by Academy staff specifically for the planetarium, the new digital facility boasts a state of the art projector and software system that can produce some of the most accurate stellar projections on Earth.

The new building is also the largest all-digital planetarium in the world, so you’ll definitely want to check it out. If you would like to see the planetarium show, be sure to arrive early as tickets usually sell out before noon.

The new Academy of Sciences building was built specifically with sustainability in mind. A major feature of this new ecologically-friendly construction is the living roof. Covered with plants that were chosen primarily for their ability to flourish in the salty coastal microclimate, the 197,000 square-foot roof keeps the Academy building up to ten degrees cooler than a standard roof would, which in turn reduces energy-intensive heating and cooling requirements. As well, the hills on the roof draw cool air into the center of the building, and skylights open and close throughout the day to bring sunlight to the exhibits - all helping to further reduce the museum’s carbon footprint.

Perhaps the most exciting attraction is the Academy’s new four-story rainforest dome. The forest, which in encased inside a 90-foot diameter glass sphere within the main building, houses an extensive collection of tropical plants, birds, insects, and other animals. Visitors walk along a spiraling uphill path while brightly colored butterflies land at their feet and twittering birds circle the open space in the rainforest canopy.

The rainforest dome is home to over 1,600 species of live animals. Features include a bat cave, an overhead tropical fish aquarium, and hundreds of free-flying birds. Take care not to accidentally leave with a butterfly, as they are known to stow away on visitors’ jackets!

While the dome is one large tropical bubble, each level represents a different rainforest area, including Borneo, Costa Rica, Madagascar, and the Amazon. Be sure to get there early to explore - the wait in line can be as long as three hours on the weekend.

If you’re in San Francisco and want to check out the California Academy of Sciences, be sure to plan your visit to make sure you get to see all of the attractions. You can buy tickets ahead of time, or there are also scheduled days where you can visit for free.

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