The California Academy of Sciences is one of the largest natural history museums in the world and certainly one of the most varied. Its building, designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2008, sits in Golden Gate Park under a green roof planted with native wildflowers.

What is inside

  • The aquarium: on the lower level, with a deep Philippine coral reef tank, a swamp exhibit, and tanks of local Northern California sea life.
  • The rainforest: a four-story glass dome you walk up through by a spiral path, with free-flying birds and butterflies, ending in a glass tunnel under a flooded Amazon forest.
  • The planetarium: a large digital dome with shows on space and the Earth, on timed entry. Get your show time when you arrive.
  • The living roof: an open terrace where you can see the rolling planted roof up close.
  • Plus natural history halls, a colony of African penguins and a fossil-filled entrance hall.

NightLife

On Thursday evenings the Academy opens for adults only, with music and drinks among the exhibits. It is popular; book ahead.

Practical notes

Allow at least half a day and go early: school groups arrive mid-morning. The de Young is across the music concourse, and many visitors pair them. It is one of the best stops in the city with children; see San Francisco with kids.

The building

The Academy was founded in 1853, and its earlier buildings in the park were badly damaged in the 1989 earthquake. Architect Renzo Piano's replacement, opened in 2008, was designed to be one of the greenest museum buildings in the world. Its roof is planted with more than a million native plants, curving up over the domes of the rainforest and planetarium below, and much of the building is naturally lit and ventilated.

More to see

  • The swamp exhibit near the entrance, with alligators, turtles and fish of the American South.
  • The penguins: a colony of African penguins, fed at set times each day.
  • The earthquake exhibit, which explains California's geology and lets you feel a simulated quake in a Victorian room.
  • The Foucault pendulum, swinging slowly in the main hall as the Earth turns beneath it.
  • The scientists at work: windows into collections and labs where researchers study millions of specimens.

Planning your visit

  • Arrive at opening and go straight to the rainforest dome, which can have entry queues later in the day.
  • Get your planetarium show time as soon as you arrive.
  • Food: a cafĂ© and a restaurant inside; picnic areas in the park.
  • Getting there: several city buses run to the park. Parking is in the underground garage beneath the music concourse.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth the price?

For most families, yes: it combines four attractions under one roof. Adults alone may prefer the Thursday NightLife evenings.

How long should I spend?

At least four hours to see the main exhibits without rushing.

Can I visit the de Young the same day?

Yes. It is just across the music concourse, and the observation tower there is free.