California Academy of Sciences is one of the museums situated inside the Golden Gate Park. I've been to this one during my earlier visits to the US. I went there again this weekend as my brother was visiting me.
The last exhibit that we saw was the one about earthquakes. There were three levels. The first one was a mini dome with a screen showing a short presentation on how earthquakes are caused. The second one was a room that mimicked the 1906 and the 1989 San Francisco earthquakes. It was a small sample of how scary and intense those earthquakes must have been. The final level was general information about preparing for and staying safe during an earthquake.
The main attractions in the academy include the multilevel rainforest, planetarium and the aquarium. These in my option are a must-see.
The rainforest has been recreated complete with all the insects, birds, fishes and reptiles. They have even managed to replicate the humid environment which adds to the authenticity of the experience. Macaws, gorgeous butterflies and lots of geckos and colorful frogs are on display. Most of them are so well camouflaged in their surrounding that it becomes a game to find them in their case. They have recreated the Bornean forest floor, Madagascar mid-story and the Costa Rican forest canopy. Once you reach the top level, you have to take the elevator to the ground floor where you can get an underwater view of the Amazon flooded forest. It is a breath taking view with all the colorful fishes and their surroundings. You have to see it to believe it!
The planetarium is equally impressive. There are set hours for the shows and you can get passes for those right outside the planetarium. The 75 foot dome is huge and impressive. They showed is a documentary on asteroids which was informative as well as entertaining. It almost felt like one of those immersive rides at Universal Studios. Who wouldn't love that!
The aquarium is enormous and houses marine habitat from Philippine coral reefs, tropical rain forests as well as the California coast. Each exhibit has a digital display that provides you info about the marine life. I was awe struck by the vibrant colors and the varied shapes of all the creatures. Made me appreciate the magic that is nature. Again, very tough to describe and should be experienced.
There were several other exhibits but by then we were exhausted and it was time for us to leave.
Parking is free on the street inside the park but finding a spot is tough. The parking garage is conveniently located but expensive. So taking public transport is a good option. In addition, if you provide your bus or train ticket, you can get a $3 discount which is pretty neat since the actual tickets are expensive at $34.95 per head.
Highly recommend this place if you're even mildly interested in aquatic life, biodiversity and science in general.
What: California Academy of Sciences
Where: 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco CA 94118
When: Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm and Sun 11am-5pm
Cost: $34.95 per head for adults
P.S: I only have pictures of the aquarium as I was too busy looking at the exhibits and forgot to click!
P.S: I only have pictures of the aquarium as I was too busy looking at the exhibits and forgot to click!
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