Whatever else you see in San Francisco, be sure to check out the Academy of Sciences, located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Originally founded in 1853 as the first science institution in the west, the Academy moved to the park after the 1906 earthquake damaged its original location downtown.
The building, which was designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Renzo Piano, has the aim of showing how humans can live and work in environmentally-responsible ways.
And it does from the minute you walk in by having you enter into a large piazza and face an awesome interior four stories high.
Here you’ll find the Rainforests of the World exhibit with 40 types of birds on display, along with a variety of plants and trees. Note that the visitor gets a sense of both transparency and connectedness between the building and the outside park through the use of clear glass. You feel that you’re actually outside IN the park, rather than inside a confined building. All this gives the institution an open, airy feeling.
Enjoy the Amazonian Flooded Rain Forest and see the piranhas on display. You’ll be glad there’s a lot of tunnel between you and them!
On the lower floor there’s the Water Planet with over 100 tanks to view. There’s even an albino alligator on display. But don’t worry -- he’s not too interested in the humans watching him, he’s much more interested in staying snug on his heated rock.
Beautiful in its setting is the Coral Reef with 212,000 gallons of water and over 2,000 fish. This is the world’s second biggest (and world’s deepest) coral reef exhibit after the one in Townsville, Australia.
Huge is the coral reef exhibit and huge too is Buccalo, a giant sea bass who’s been with the academy since 1980. Kids of all ages just love him.
From sea creatures to land animals, the African Hall on the first floor has stayed from the original building. Dioramas of African animals can be seen as well as some smaller creatures like tortoises. The highlight, however, is the penguin exhibit. About 20 of these adorable creatures swim, dive and frolic in the water.
It’s all fun to watch but it all has educational value too. Learn how you can help prevent climate change at the evolution display. Dr. Greg Farrington, Executive Director says it best when he advises; “The Academy is here to show the emergence of life, the evolution of life and the sustainability of life.” And he’s right. All these features can be seen throughout the academy – whether that’s in the form of signs over the water fountains or quotes on the bathroom stalls.
The Morrison Planetarium lets you know just how fragile the plant is with its hourly show illustrating how we try to find other sources of life. It’s a mind-boggling thought, and one that will keep you thinking long after you’ve left the museum.
Another thought-provoking display, and one that showcases the Academy’s dedication to environmental responsibility, is its Living Roof. Here, over 2.5 acres, you’ll see more than 50 kinds of native California plants set in a seven-hill undulating formation that represents California’s hilly setting.
Did you know though, that this “garden in the sky” with its native strawberries, stonecrop and California poppies, will reduce storm water runoff by up to 3.6 million gallons of water per year? These same plants will even attract the endangered bay checkerspot butterfly. It’s hoped that, one day, this garden will be a home to these beautiful and fragile creatures.
Solar panels on the roof produce over 5 percent of the Academy’s annual energy needs and prevent the release of over 405,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year. It’s all part of that mission to explore, explain and protect the natural world. The award-winning San Francisco Academy certainly deserves its title as Leader of Scientific Research On The Natural World. Don’t miss it!
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Opening Hours
Crowds are big, so go in the off-peak times for a chance to view everything. Hours are Mon to Sat 9.30 to 5pm and Sunday 11 to 5. Admission for adults is $24.95.
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