• Enjoy a fun and educational day at The California Academy of Sciences!
• Walk through the Steinhart Aquarium and view a show at the Morrison Planetarium
• Catch virtual butterflies with a digital net
• Don't miss the daily programs offered including "Bugs!" in the 3D theater.
• Museum is open: Monday-Saturday: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The California Academy of Sciences is one of the ten largest museums of natural history in the world, consisting of a coral reef, a rainforest, a planetarium, aquarium, and living roof exhibit!

Located in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, the Academy began in 1853 as a learning society and today, still continues a large amount of original research.  This public museum promotes educational exhibits and significant scientific breakthroughs that have impacted the 20th century. The complex is the only place on the planet where you can explore an aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum under one roof! Believe it or not, the roof is actually a living ecosystem!

The Academy’s recent rebuilding project provides a unique experience throughout the entire museum.  Rather than recreate the 12 separate structures that the museum originally held, the Academy chose to build a single building that is physically and thematically intertwined.

The animals of the Steinhart Aquarium, once confined to a separate hall, are now found throughout the building. The building itself, now functions as an exhibit where discussions about sustainable architecture and green practices take place.

The most prominent change to the Academy is simply the growth in its animal and plant population. The Academy is now home to nearly 40,000 animals, more than six times the number at the old Academy. Some of the new life includes Leafy Sea Dragons, Anaconda, Giant Octopuses, Amazonian Piranhas, Borneo fruit bats, Leaf-tailed Geckos, Tortoises, Stick Insects, Doves, Tanagers, Butterflies, and more!

Academy exhibits have the latest in digital media production, multimedia displays, technology platforms, and interactive gaming technologies.

Visitors are able to catch virtual butterflies with a digital net, make a public video that can instantly be shared with others over the internet, use a cell-phone to go on an Academy-wide scavenger hunt, and so much more!

Returning favorites include updated versions of African Hall, Foucault’s Pendulum, the Swamp exhibit, the T Rex skeleton, and the 87-foot Blue Whale. Several of the architectural elements from the old structure have also been retained.

The main thrust of the exhibits are natural history, with halls containing specimens from across the world and the Life through Time gallery housing a large display on evolution and paleontology. There is an emphasis on aquatic biology, with the old aquarium housing fish specimens from all over the world.

Other sciences are also covered, including the astronomy shows in the planetarium. 

Don't miss an opportunity to explore one of the most innovative and unique natural history museums in the world!  The California Academy of Sciences is a place of learning and adventure for people of all ages!

Daily Programs Include:

Aquarium

    * Coral Reef Dive: Every day at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

Meet coral reef divers as they descend into the exhibit to introduce visitors to the world's deepest living coral reef.

    * Penguin Feeding: Every day at 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. African Hall.

Academy biologists will answer visitor questions file feeding and caring for the penguins.

Planetarium

    * Fragile Planet: Every hour on the half-hour, 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

The Academy's initial program, Fragile Planet, takes you on a ride to the far reaches of the Universe as its projected onto a 75-foot diameter screen!

Planetarium show is limited access

Hearst 3D Theater

    * Bugs!: Mondays - Saturdays, the top of every hour, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Sunday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Put on your 3D glasses and check out Bugs! This 25-minute film was shot on location in the tropical forests of Borneo.

Guests can explore at their own pace.  Audio tours are available in French, German, Italian, English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.