Explore hands-on exhibits as you stroll beneath the bones of some of the planet's largest inhabitants. Meet the charismatic African penguin colony while a biologist feeds them and answers your questions, be dazzled by nearly 400 dazzling specimens from the Academy's renowned geology collection, and more. Plus, uncover the surprising connections between California’s unique species, places, and people in our newest exhibit - California: State of Nature! With scientific specimens, engaging interactives, illuminating multimedia, and fascinating models, we’ve got everything for you to explore our state’s unparalleled biodiversity across four ecosystems.
Home to nearly 60,000 live animals, representing more than 1,000 unique species, you can experience one of the most biologically diverse and interactive aquariums. Plunge into the world's deepest living indoor coral reef, encounter over a dozen species in the Venom exhibit, and descend into the little-known “Twilight Zone” to learn about the diverse marine life of the pitch-black sea.
The 75-foot planetarium dome screen will immerse you inside cutting-edge visualizations and hyper-realistic virtual environments. From faraway galaxies to the working of our own planet, zoom through the cosmos like never before. Choose from multiple different award-winning show options and times available each day. Planetarium show passes are included in the price of admission and can be reserved at the planetarium pass pick-up desk across from the planetarium entrance.
Step inside a glass dome filled with a lush four-story rainforest teeming with over 1,600 plants and animals. Mingle with free-flying birds and butterflies to exotic reptiles, golden-silk orb weaver spiders, enormous Amazonian fish, and more. At each stage of the journey, you'll come face-to-face with some of the incredible animals that call these forests home.
California Academy of Sciences is located within Golden Gate Park
This was a great experience for my 3 year old. I had my niece who is 12 with me too and it was surprising to see her off her phone and interacting with the world around her. Will be coming back
We were a group of four adults, and we had the best time. We did the indoor rainforest, we watched an IMAX movie, we went up to the rooftop garden. We didn't quite manage to see everything, but we sure tried. Everyone learned things, took too many pictures, and wished we had more time to explore. I think we spent 4 hours there, but it could easily have been a full day experience.
Absolutely amazing facility, staff and exhibits. Nothing feels small except you as you enter and are greeted by the T-Rex skeleton/fossil at the front door. That is, unless you are looking the Mantis Shrimp in the "face" while it's pivotable eyes scans yours. Adults and children, even infants, can all enjoy everything that is presented. The lighting, enclosure constructions, ample space for anything from Large groups and families to wheelchairs to strollers in groups. The planetarium is just as spectacular and movie/video quality
Amazing museums. Really enjoyed them. However, when ticket was purchased it never warned the venue closes in 1.5 hrs. Only on the 1st Thursday of the month. So I would caution purchasers to check hours of operation before booking. This venue has evening hours except as noted. Made the cost not worth the time.
Every time I visit SF with my family we all agree that we will go back to CA. Academy. We all learn so much. There is also a nice cafe and they serve wine for a bit of relaxation. This time we saw so many butterflies in the rainforest. This is the best time spent in SF with any age. I highly recommend it!
This is a great place to beat the heat or cold while learning a ton and having fun. All ages will enjoy this museum.
Me and my grandson had a wonderful time and a great experience. However everything was so expensive and parking was a little bit of a hassle. I would definitely go again but would not buy anything there prices are to high
Visited with my family because we wanted to get out of the rain. Compared to the museums I have been to, it was reasonably priced (we are out of Boston). We loved the walk up to see the various levels of the rainforest and the butterflies at the top! We also loved seeing all of the aquarium exhibits- much more than what I read in the description.
If you have children, are looking for a rainy-day activity, would enjoy walking through a multi-story indoor rainforest, or like aquariums and big-screen planetarium movies, the California Academy of Sciences might be a good choice. A warning for anyone who is claustrophobic or particularly sensitive to loud noise: you may want to skip the aquarium. It is downstairs in an area with relatively low ceilings, dark surroundings and blue lighting. When I visited, the excited voices of children and adults seemed to reflect off all the aquarium glass, making the noise feel even louder. I found the combination of the crowds, sound, darkness and enclosed space uncomfortable. The planetarium offered several movies at different times throughout the day. I saw Impact, about asteroids, which seemed geared more toward adults, and a Tiny Chef movie about environmentalism. Tiny Chef wasn't for me. I found the character's voice and some of the silly examples annoying, although several teenagers sitting behind me were laughing and obviously enjoying it. For families with younger children, I could see it being a starting point for talking about conservation and connecting its message to real-world examples. One thing to know about the planetarium movies: during my visit, you needed to scan a QR code with your phone, select a showtime and then show your confirmation when entering. I initially found the interface frustrating because it kept telling me there were no available showtimes for my date. After trying several times, I eventually got it to work. The museum exhibits themselves were nicely spaced and included plenty of written information, so there is a lot of educational value here. I didn't visit the rainforest because the line was quite long when I was there. There is also a café and an atrium area where you can sit and eat. Overall, I think the California Academy of Sciences is likely to be a much better fit for families with curious children and adults who enjoy lively, interactive science museums than for someone looking for a quiet museum experience. This museum was included on the Go City pass.
The academy was amazing, would recommend to anyone, no questions asked. However, just buy your tickets directly from the museum’s website, I had problems scanning mine since I bought it from this sight. The people working there were super chill about it though, no sweat on their part.
Educational an fun. Recommend to go around twice, you might miss something. Unfortunately, couldn't see octopus, he was hiding.
I’ve been accustomed to visiting Golden Gate Park for as long as I can remember. As a child visiting the aquarium with my mom was a highlight of my learning experience. The academy of science has been renewed with many attractions. I was sad that the albino alligator had died but there were still so many attractions to enjoy. The highlight of our experience was the earthquake simulator! Having lived through the earthquake in 1989 I remember all too well of that frightful day! And then to experience the magnitude of the 1906 earthquake was believably real! Plants and outdoor experiences were still breathtaking. Just across the park the de Young museum was the cherry on the experience, as I recommend it to all visitors.
This is an amazing museum and an amazing facility. It’s huge! We visited on a Monday morning and were pleased that the museum was not overly crowded. The ticket price for adults was $55 per person, but this varies with the season. As we only had a few hours to explore, we felt the price was high. But if you are going to spend all day, it’s fair. We also added the VIP tour which was an additional $27 per person because we wanted the behind the scenes tour of the building, It was worth every penny. Dominic was our tour guide, and she was a total professional. The VIP pass also gets you priority access to the planetarium shows. We saw Incoming which was informative and fun. Our main suggestion has to do with parking. There is a parking garage entrance very close to the Science Museum, but it was closed. You find out it’s closed when you get to the entrance! However there is another entrance near the DeYoung Museum which is next to the Science Museum. It’s on the other side of Golden Gate Park. Fortunately we had arrived early enough to make the 10 minute drive to the other entrance and still make our tour. Parking in the garage was $20, credit card only.
Easy purchase and use. Museum was fabulous and good spend multiple hours easily. Make sure to attend as many exhibitions that are available and make sure you use the reservation system for the planitarium show.
I have been a member of the California Academy of Sciences and a regular visitor for many years. Unfortunately, the institution’s recent management and financial crises have forced significant staff cuts, and the effects are evident in both the new exhibits and the upkeep of older ones. For example, the “Vivid” exhibit feels cheaply produced and very underwhelming; it does not justify the hype at all. Months after Claude’s unfortunate passing, signs about him remain beside his now-empty enclosure, suggesting that even basic updates have been neglected. The Academy also eliminated the team responsible for creating new planetarium shows, so visitors should not expect any new programming there. The longstanding aquarium and terrarium exhibits are still enjoyable, but I will not be renewing my membership. Given the current ticket prices, I find the experience extremely overpriced. It is sad to see what has happened to what was once a great institution.
The museum wasn't as great as I anticipated. It felt very similar to visiting just another aquarium/zoo. Like, where did all of the dino bones and stuff go that I remember being there some time ago? I look forward to the Pharoah exhibit opening. Hopefully that'll be more exciting. The tickets definitely shouldn't have been that expensive.
Great tour, very informative and good for students. There is a lot to learn about global life styles.
This was a great experience while visiting San Francisco! It was very easy to walk through at my own pace and ease. No pressure to rush. The accommodations of wide stairs and elevators were appreciated. There are so many exhibits and everything was beautiful. The various aquariums of fish and underwater life is really eye catching and enjoyable. The design of the layout to tour the California Academy is amazing! I loved the butterfly exhibit and the jellyfish. There are other creatures that I had never heard of that I also saw! It was a fun day! Recommend!
So many things to see. Good way to spend 2 to 3 hours in San Francisco visiting space, the ocean and rainforest.
A group of three adults visited the California Academy of Sciences on Friday, July 3. We were surprised by the ticket price, but the commercials promoting the "Vivid" exhibit made it sound like a spectacular, immersive experience that would be unlike anything we had seen before. Based on the advertising, we expected an engaging, interactive exhibition with stunning visuals. Instead, it felt like little more than recorded videos projected onto walls with accompanying sound. The marketing created expectations that the exhibit simply did not meet, making it feel misleading. The museum was also extremely crowded, making it difficult to move through the exhibits and enjoy them. It felt as though there were simply too many visitors admitted at one time. The biggest disappointment, however, was the condition of the restrooms. They had a very strong odor, several stalls were out of toilet paper, and the facilities were dirty and poorly maintained. With the number of visitors you welcome each day and the price of admission, basic cleanliness and hygiene should be a top priority. The café was no better. The tables were dirty, and there appeared to be no one regularly cleaning them. Even something as simple as providing clean seating for guests enjoying a cup of coffee would have made a noticeable difference. I understand that holiday weekends are busy, but overcrowding should not come at the expense of the visitor experience. If demand is that high, perhaps the museum should consider limiting daily admissions to maintain a comfortable environment and ensure that facilities remain clean and well-stocked. We had been looking forward to this visit, and it was disappointing to leave feeling that the museum was overcrowded, the exhibits were underwhelming, and the basic standards of cleanliness had not been maintained. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and use it to improve the experience for future visitors. Sincerely, Frida
Museum itself is done well and laid out nicely. I visited with a 12 year old who enjoyed it for the most part - especially the planetarium and rainforest. I would hesitate to return unless I came with younger kids next time - many play areas geared towards that age group.
This is a great children’s museum and with some really amazing experiences for the whole family!
I accidentally ordered tickets on line and tried to cancel them by email soon after I realized it and got no assistance. I paid for 4 tickets and didn't even go.
This was a fun experience. The rain tree forest is the best part seeing the animals and looking at the history is phenomenal. Its a must go to, and with botanical gardens and other museums and parks in walking distance you can make it a full day.
What an amazing experience!! I went with my husband and our 10 month old baby. All three of us were amazed! My son was so observant and loved seeing everything. This is somewhere I would definitely return too!! Staff was friendly too! We parked in the parking garage and paid like $15. Can’t beat that!!
Easy process of purchasing a ticket beforehand and got 25% back from capital one shopping portal which makes the price a little more bearable. Great place to visit with kids!
Large and varied displays. The aquarium is beautiful. Be sure to see the penguins. Kids love it. Do the earthquake experience. Well done! The tropical garden with hundreds of butterflies is fun and beautiful. You walk up the ramp around the garden, and the butterflies fly around you carefree. The dinosaur T-Rex at the entry is a great photo shoot. Rideshare drops and picks up in front of the museum.
I ended up booking tickets here because it was raining out and my family and I had time to kill. We were pleasantly surprised with the amount of different exhibits and how interactive they were. The rainforest display was really cool to walk through with my kids- the highlights were the butterflies at the top
Enjoyed the Academy of Sciences. The only negative is that we missed our train and we were very late. I tried to get the ticket changed through the museum but because I bought it through a third party vendor they were unable to do that. There was no way to reach Viator or Tripadvisor to ask if there was an opportunity to exchange the tickets for another day. We had one hour to rush through.
Free admission from 9 to 10 a.m. but need to apply and can do it online. Get there early for parking spaces on side road.
Everything close at 5 PM, big problem is a parking spot, planetarium, not really good, talking about telescopes only not about the stars
The Academy is a nice place to visit if you have kids. The exhibits are very informative. You would spend about 2 hrs to see it all. Is not as busy as the website makes it seem.
Beautiful place to visit. Kids livre it! Great indoor experience if the weather does not helping. Beautiful Africa and butterfly cages.. great outside and play.
This place is enormous and has lots of variety. The aquarium and rainforest are cool. The food in the cafe is serviceable with a good burger. The hop on/off bus makes this easy to get to
It was a fun way to decompress from reality.it was dope to see kaws family display. It had amazing art and information
We had the best time! It was so easy to get our tickets ahead of time! It allowed us to enjoy our time stress free.
The California Academy of Sciences is one of the most impressive science museums anywhere. It combines a natural history museum, aquarium, planetarium, and rainforest all under one roof. It’s fun, educational, and incredibly well designed.
The academy of sciences is located in the middle of Golden Gate Park, across from the De Young museum, and has underground parking available. It offers a stunning variety of exhibits across multiple floors - the butterfly house has more restrictive hours than the rest of the exhibits, so make sure to look that up. It’s usually a line but it’s well worth it! Many incredible critters abound in there. It is wheelchair friendly but a steep upwards path. There is an elevator available. The underground section of the building is full of sea wonders - turtles, fish, sharks! Don’t skip that!
We brought our three grandkids -- ages 4, 6, and 8 -- months Academy and had a wonderful time. The Academy is basically an aquarium/tropical forest mash-up. The exhibits do a great job of fascinating kids about the strategies different creatures use for camouflage, hunting, and more. Lots of marine life including a shark, all sorts of fish and penguins and jellyfish; butterflies flitting about visitors' heads; frogs of amazing colors. After our visit, we ate in the Terrace Cafe: tasty options at a moderate o price.
We had a small look around here and it was more than we could have imagined. The aquarium was amazing. The planetarium was brilliant.
it is a good experience to go with my family and teach your child to explore more knowledge , good jobbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Very interesting experience. Pleasant surroundings. Knowledgeable staff. Plenty of exhibitions. Great cafe.
Wear comfortable shoes, lots of walking. Rainforest exhibit is hot and humid. Worth the admission price.
The academy of science is an absolutely amazing place to bring kids of all ages. There are interesting exhibits and activities for toddlers to teens.
Nearly $50 per person for a museum with absolutely no cohesion or science for that matter. Very disappointed in the displays, explanations, and incoherent and disjointed layout. If you have been to other science museums around the world, you will totally understand my comment. The Tellus Museum in Cartersville, GA (yes Marjorie Taylor Green's District) is 10 times better. So disjointed with explanations that never actually said anything. Get over yourself and improve. You have so many resources at your fingertips and this is what you produce?
I'd been meaning to visit the revamped building ever since it opened. I was in San Francisco for the day yesterday and finally checked it out. The rainforest dome was definitely the highlight, with butterflies fluttering all around and so many interesting little creatures to spy on. I was disappointed that the planetarium was closed the day of my visit - no reason given - and that the "Shake House" earthquake simulation was out of order. And some other exhibit spaces were closed for re-installation. Hey, it happens - but if anyone from the Academy of Sciences is reading this, maybe consider offering discounted tickets on days when some areas are closed? I was frustrated that I had to pay the regular $49 ticket price - already quite steep for this kind of attraction - when I couldn't see many of the cool offerings. A visitor with luckier timing could pay the exact same price on a different day and experience so much more than I did. Doesn't seem fair.
We had a family membership when my children were little. When my oldest turned 23 she asked to go back again. I forgot how truly amazing this place is. Jennifer at the ticket booth was so welcoming and made me feel so much like a member that I became one again at the end of the day. We like having the membership because we don’t feel so rushed that we have to see everything in one day. Both times we bought the membership it was at the end of the visit. Just keep the receipt and they will put it toward the membership. To upgrade is way less than the price of a second visit. We live two hours away, but definitely get our moneys worth from the membership.
Lots to see. Great for little ones too. Food on site is good. Definitely catch a planetarium show. The aquarium is beautiful and so unlike any I have been to before.
Lots of neat things to learn and explore. Great place to take young children. I would love to visit there again some time.
There was plenty to see, explore and learn! It was a beautiful museum, great weather and family friendly. We really enjoyed ourselves.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
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