California Academy of Sciences

California Academy of Sciences and its collection

California Academy of Sciences, opened in 1853, is an aquarium in San Francisco, United States.

Its origins lie in a learned society of 1853, and it was rebuilt from scratch in 2008. The main building, in Golden Gate Park, covers 400,000 square feet.

Animals and collection

Animals on show include African penguin, axolotl, albino gar and giant beetles.

Exhibits

The natural history wing includes Africa Hall, the longest-running display, and an East Wing housing a Foucault pendulum.

Things to do

Things to do include NightLife, Penguins+Pajamas Sleepovers and VIP Tours.

Conservation and approach

Original research continues, with staff scientists working through an Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability across fields from anthropology to paleontology. Departments collaborate with an emphasis on environmental issues, systematic biology and biodiversity.

What the venue says

NightLife
Relax and refuel during your visit and enjoy a meal or snack at the Academy Café or Terrace Restaurant, offering local, sustainable, grab-and-go cuisine.
Paid parking is available nearby at the underground Music Concourse Garage, along with paid and free street parking options around the park
wheelchair-accessible entrance
parking lot
restrooms
designated seating options

Images of California Academy of Sciences

i
Kobresia graminifolia C.B.Clarke Collected in China (licensed under https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
Sanjay Acharya, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
Sanjay Acharya, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
Sanjay Acharya, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
istolethetv, CC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
Ryan Schwark, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
TreseTrese, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
EvanBaldonado, CC-BY-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
EvanBaldonado, CC-BY-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
i
EvanBaldonado, CC-BY-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons