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California Academy of Sciences - a quick tour of the exhibits
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I had the opportunity to get an early guided tour of the fantastic new California Academy of Sciences natural history museum. As promised in my prior article, here are some photos and notes from the tour. (All pictures taken by me unless otherwise noted.)
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(Drawing courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)
The Living Roof
The hills and valleys of the living roof are covered with native California plants. The selection process involved putting a great variety of plants up on the old Academy roof before it was torn down, to see which species survived on their own with minimal human attention. The selection process also took into consideration whether the plants supported native wildlife, such as butterflies, bees, and birds. Ultimately, 9 species of plant passed the test, and were planted in biodegradable coconut-husk trays covering the roof. The plants include California poppies, beach strawberries, and California goldfield plants. The roof absorbs a huge amount of rainwater, provides excellent insulation for the building below, and will not warm up and re-radiate heat back into the San Francisco air anywhere near as much as a standard roof.
The hills on the roof also channel cold air towards the central piazza, where it sinks and circulates through the lower portions of the building, providing natural cooling. In turn, the air that is heated inside the building flows naturally up the inside surface of the raised hills, the hot air causing the skylights dotting the hills to open, allowing the hot air to escape. This flow of hot air out the top helps pull the cooler air in from the piazza, completing the cooling cycle driven by this chimney effect.
Coming down from the roof, the main exhibit floor is dotted with free-standing exhibits treating a wide variety of topics, from evolution on the remote islands of Madagascar and the Galapagos to the effects of climate change right here in California.
One of the prime attractions of the prior Academy, the swamp, is back, replete with residents Claude, the albino alligator, his female companion, Lady, and a snapping turtle or two.
Claude, the albino alligator
In an alcove off of the main arcade, the African Hall from the original Academy building has been restored and upgraded. It now includes more dioramas, some with live animals such as tortoises and lizards, and a colony of African penguins.
This penguin and toddler chased each other repeatedly back and forth across the front of the tank.
Morrison Planetarium
One of the two large spheres in the building houses the Morrison Planetarium, currently the largest and most technologically advanced digital planetarium in the world. The images from six projectors ringing the 75 foot diameter dome are stiched together seamlessly to provide totally immersive experiences for the audience. The 290 seats are set on a 30 degree incline, with the best views from the higher rows. The current production, "Fragile Planet," takes the audience on a gut-wrenching virtual ride right up through the top of the dome, hovering briefly over the living roof, before rocketing off into the solar system and beyond, looking for other possible viable habitats for life. Although the tour visits several candidates, one returns with a fresh appreciation for the unique and fragile balance of conditions that supported the origin and evolution of life here on Earth - conditions that will require more and more care on our part to maintain as we continue to increase our impact on the planet.
(Morrison Planetarium image courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)
Rainforests of the World
Occupying the other large sphere in the building, the rainforest exhibit consists of a climate controlled, 90 foot diameter glass terrarium, which visitors navigate via a series of spiraling ramps and an elevator.
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Each of the four levels of the rainforest exhibit displays a different rainforest environment, from the Borneo rainforest floor, up through the Madagascar rainforest understory, to the Costa Rican rainforest canopy exhibit at the top of the dome, under a large field of skylights.
Each level has exhibits devoted to species of animals ad plants native to the specific rainforest environment, including bats, chameleons, geckos, snakes, and ants and other insects. Live birds and butterflies fly freely within the dome, and if you look closely into the leaves of some of the plants, you might catch sight of these little guys:
An elevator ride takes visitors down to the underwater Amazon flooded rainforest exhibit via an acrylic-walled tunnel.
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Communications Director Stephanie Stone guides members of the press
Water Planet
Exiting from the Rainforest exhibit through the aquarium tunnel, visitors enter the main floor of the Steinhart Aquarium, an exhibit space that seems liquid itself, with over a hundred exhibit tanks built into sculptured walls that tumble and flow across space.
(Water Planet image courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)
Among the many small tanks, one finds critters like these: a giant sea bass and several chambered nautiluses.
The primary exhibits in the Water Planet area are the two large tanks housing the Philippine Coral Reef, and the Norther California Coast biomes. Each of these tanks provides a window-wall view into the life-style of thousands of fish and other inhabitants.
There is more - much, much more, including a Naturalist Center, with a large lending library and reference librarians to answer questions. There is the Early Explorers Cove, a place for the shorter ones among us to experience natural history first hand. There are also classrooms, lecture halls, and, of course, out of the public eye, the research labs and collections utilized every day by Academy scientists in pursuit of their research. There will be plenty of events where these scientists will come out from their labs and give talks and live demonstrations of their work.
The new Academy of Sciences is a great addition to the cultural mileau of San Francisco - a magnificent building housing a rich and rewarding educational experience.
The grand opening takes place this weekend, Saturday and Sunday Sept. 27 & 28. Admission Saturday is free, and there will be a wide variety of associated events taking place outside in the Music Concourse.
For more information:
My prior article on the Academy building itself
