California Academy of Sciences: One year later

October 12, 10:52 PMSF Travel ExaminerEd Uyeshima

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Walking under the rainforest, Steinhart Aquarium

Over a year later after its grand reopening and the California Academy of Sciences continues to draw massive crowds. As the epitome of green-friendly architecture, the boldly constructed museum received a major facelift at a sizable cost of $488 million. Ever since the original building was seriously damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the vision was to rebuild a sustainable facility that teaches conservation on a very personal level to the visitor. Located across the Music Concourse from the de Young Museum of Art, it has been completely redesigned by Italian architect Renzo Piano with see-through glass walls, 60,000 photovoltaic cells that produce 10 percent of its electricity, other walls packed with shredded denim jeans for insulation, and special sensors to adjust the lights according to the time of day.

The main lobby area really draws you to the Rainforest dome, which resembles a huge Habitrail ball over six stories high. Covering four different areas around the world, it is filled with a naturalized ambiance of flora and fauna that allows the wildlife to thrive in carefully controlled 85-degree humidity. Fruitbats, geckos, frogs, snakes, fish and various butterflies can be found, as you head up the ramp and enjoy the overlook area in each section of the rainforest. You are then led to an elevator that takes you down into the Steinhart Aquarium where you are overwhelmed with humungous coral reefs festooned with fish of all varieties. Ingeniously, the floor of the rainforest contains the water that actually serves as the roof of the aquarium where gangs of large bass dominate their swimming brethren. You can also see jellyfish illuminated in a couple of tanks and gigantic eels in yet another tank, and still have an opportunity to touch starfish, urchins and crabs at a “touch table”.

Once you climb back up to the main hall, you can say hello to Claude, the albino alligator, looking rather lonely in that huge pit as the rest of us simply gawk at his alabaster skin. Turn a corner to get to the African Hall where you can see dioramas of taxidermied wildlife in their habitat, although the biggest treat here has to be the display of live penguins at the far end of the room. Stay for a feeding show, and you can get quite an education on how the penguins live quite a charmed life at the academy. If you don’t mind another wait, there is the Morrison Planetarium, the world’s largest all-digital dome with a 75-foot diameter projection screen tilted at a 30- degree angle. The net effect is that the dome seems to disappear when imagery is projected onto it, producing a truly free-form experience when watching a neophyte universe grow up or a fragile planet grow still.

The crescendo of a visit to the Academy is the 2.5-acre Living Roof, which spotlights eco-friendly landscaping with plants completely covering the domed rooftop to allow the absorption of rainfall to maintain the building at a cool temperature. The entry fee is $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors and youths, and $14.95 for children ages 7-11. Children six and under are free. Memberships are the way to go for frequent visitors with individual membership starting at $99, which allows admission for one cardholder and one guest plus all membership benefits. For those who would prefer not to partake of the hot dog stands outside, there are dining options from revered chefs Charles Phan (Slanted Door) and Loretta Keller with the Moss Room serving a California/Mediterranean menu of organic and local ingredients.