Academy of Sciences

Presenting the wonders of land, space, and water in an exquisitely wrapped package, the California Academy of Sciences brings the above, below, and beyond of the entire world to life. Serving as one of the largest natural history museums in the world, opening this Golden Gate Park gift will bring you closer to the exploration of prehistoric sensations, astronomical exploits, dazzling gems and minerals, and living examples of extraordinary plants and animals.

Temporary Academy of Sciences

During construction, the temporary Academy of Sciences can be found on 875 Howard Street, allowing the public to still connect with the many educational gems that the museum and other buildings have to offer. Since the Academy is undergoing massive changes, some public features of the original museum have been stored away, while others, such as the aquarium are readily accessible. Depending on the time of year you plan a visit to the temporary location, you may come across a rotation of fleeting exhibits as curators prepare for the re-opening of the new Academy. 

For now, the temporary downtown San Francisco space serves as entry to the Steinhart Aquarium and the Naturalist Center, which provides a wealth of interactive scientific activities. On the premises, more than 18 million natural history specimens hailing from a widespread collection have also been placed there.

New Academy of Sciences

Soon you will be able to enter the public floor of the new Academy of Sciences and enjoy access to a dynamic arrangement of planetary, aquatic, and historic specimens and exhibits. Serving as the country’s sole example of the harmonious existence of earth, space, and the oceans, this unique trip into the past, present, and future of the world is one that will last a lifetime.

The new building will showcase a partly enclosed piazza of glass for year-round use, which came from the ingenious creativity of designer, Renzo Piano. This exceptional attraction is sure to draw upon the beauty of surrounding resources as visitors walk past glass walls that extend from floor to ceiling. Beyond the natural light dancing about the interior of the building, the breathtaking landscape of Golden Gate Park provides additional comfort.

The new Academy will increase its environmentally conscious appeal by implementing numerous revolutionary modifications. The new space will highlight one of ten “green building” assignments revealed by the San Francisco Department of the Environment. For example, to promote a better relationship between humans and their natural surroundings, a green roof will be added in an effort to increase biodiversity.

Additional changes to look forward to include new exhibit transformations, such as the Rainforests of the World; an impressive California Coast showcase; Water Planet; a revamped Swamp centerpiece display; and the free-flying butterfly and bird Costa Rican Butterfly Canopy.

The History of the Academy of Science

The makings of this natural history playground started in 1853 where it first served as an original research center. Since the state of California had joined the United States only three years previous, the Academy was deemed the first association of its kind to prosper within the western part of the U.S. At first, the society, which aimed to collect an assortment of common and unusual items about the region, was called the California Academy of Natural Sciences, and later renamed the California Academy of Sciences in 1868.

Throughout the years, the Academy has been attached to many great firsts, such as leading the way in providing advanced positions within the science world for women, who were typically limited to taking cataloguing and filing jobs. The Academy began to branch out from research and constructed the first official museum in 1874, positioning their building on the corner of California and Dupont Streets. Each year, about 80,000 visitors journeyed to the site.

The demand was so great to explore the finds within the Academy that a newer, larger building was erected in 1891, which was situated on Market Street to accommodate the masses. Unfortunately, an earthquake in 1906 destroyed parts of the library and specimen collections, forcing the eventual move to Golden Gate Park in 1916. Making the transition to the North American Hall of Birds and Mammals allowed future expansions to unfold. In 1923, the colorful Steinhart Aquarium blossomed, while the Simson African Hall found a home in 1934.

During the post-World War II era, the Academy underwent additional changes and received the Science Hall in 1951, followed by a gateway to the stars with the Morrison Planetarium in 1952. The Eastwood Hall of Botany was added in 1959, which preceded the rapid growth of numerous specimen collections, regarding subjects such as molecular biology. More buildings were added throughout the 60s and 70s, including new galleries.

It wasn’t until the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that the initial plans to reconstruct the Academy of today began to take shape. At that time, the Bird Hall had to be closed and the Steinhart Aquarium suffered extensive damage. The amount of time, money, and energy it would take to clean up the damage would far exceed the efforts of starting from scratch.

Today, the main site is for the moment closed and exhibits have been relocated to a temporary space on Howard Street. Construction for a new environmentally friendly Academy began on September 12th, 2005 with hopes to reopen in 2008.

Things to Do

Since one of the main goals of the Academy is to explore the various realms of science and then educate the public, there are plenty of interesting exhibits to investigate. One moment you could be viewing the latest changes concerning botany, geology, or biodiversity, while the next is spent analyzing toothed birds from the past or reptile evolution. Specimens from across the globe decorate the inside of the Academy of Sciences, including an impressive display of aquatic delight. Below you will get a sense of the things one may do when visiting the revamped Academy of Sciences:

a) Explore Steinhart Aquarium: Available for discovery at both the temporary and upcoming Academy space, the Steinhart Aquarium is filled with the intense enchantment of critters that have the power to cultivate young minds, send chills up and down your back, or satisfy the unknown. Poison dart frogs to toothy piranhas to electrifying eels call Steinhart their home.

b) View Feedings: The Steinhart Aquarium features a wide-range of public feedings for some of their more entertaining residents about the grounds. Every day, the cuddly African penguins are fed at 11am and 3:30pm. Watch the fish fill their bellies and view the care taking of coral reef at 2pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you dare, 2pm on Fridays highlights the feeding behavior of the slithery Gunther’s Whipsnake.

c) See the Stars: Whereas the Morrison Planetarium is currently closed while the new Academy is being reconstructed, you will soon be able to take advantage of a one-of-a-kind experience that has gained a reputation both near and far. The sound system alone is an intricate orchestra of audio pleasure, furthered by high-quality amplifiers and mid-range horns.

d) Attend a Lecture: A variety of key speakers make appearances at the Academy, including sold-old functions showcasing the global warming wisdom of the 45th vice president of the United States, Al Gore.

e) Enjoy One of Many Exciting Events: On a monthly basis, an array of regular and brief events are held at the Academy, ranging from Saturday nature story time for children to a life-size model exhibition on dinosaurs and other interesting reptiles.

Construction Update

The end of January and the start of February highlights the emergence of a progressing skeleton of the new and improved Academy coming to life as sparks fly from the welding about the planetarium to the outside workings of the Rainforest Dome and Piazza that are beginning to take shape. The gray haze of fresh cement decorates the outside of most buildings, shielding the view of rudimentary layers of metal, concrete, and wood. The growth and improvement of the reconstruction phase is advancing quite well since its start in 2005.

Contact Details

Location: Currently the Academy of Sciences is located on 875 Howard Street, which is situated in the downtown section of San Francisco. This temporary residence will last until 2008 where the new Academy will be unveiled at its permanent home on Market Street.

Phone Number: (415) 321-8000

Hours: Every day of the year, the Academy is open from 10am to 5 pm. On every third Thursday of the year, there are special hours and admission hours from 5pm to 9pm.

Admission Price: Entry fees for the Academy include: children 3 and younger (free); children 4-11 ($2); students w/ ID ($6.50); seniors 65+ ($6.50); youth 12-17 ($6.50); and adults ($10). Every first Wednesday of the month offers free entry.  From 5pm to 9pm, special admission of $5 is offered on every third Thursday of the month.

Interesting Fact: The Steinhart is known as the oldest surviving municipal aquarium throughout America, which also serves as the only establishment in the world to possess the rare species, Burmese Vine Snake on display.