Whether you are 2 or 92, the California Academy of Sciences must be on your itinerary if you visit the San Francisco Bay Area. I am a native San Franciscan and visit every time I get the chance. I’m hoping to give readers some inside tips on fun things to look out for, possible discounts, and some general information about this amazing Golden Gate Park institution!
Before you leave the house/hotel: wear layers!
And this is applicable for San Francisco as a whole. Don’t let the day, month, year or season fool you. When navigating San Francisco, you will notice that even most locals don’t quite look put together, shall we say. This is because temperatures change building by building, block by block, in this city, no matter the day or time. It’s just a difficult city to dress for, since, to be comfortable, you are obliged to wear layer after layer of clothing, only to peel the layers off and pop them on again as you move about. Treat the Academy of Sciences as a mini San Francisco. Bring everything from a sleeveless shirt for the rainforest exhibit to a fleece or trusty windbreaker for the living roof. The advantage of bringing small children with you to the Academy is that you can just drape any extra layers over the compulsory stroller.
Getting There: save money!
If you have to drive to the Academy of Sciences, try to avoid parking in the underground parking lot. It costs a fortune. Instead, find street parking on either side of the park and walk in. If you go on a weekday, you might even find a spot inside the park, on John F. Kennedy Drive. It’s always worth a shot. Otherwise, the museum is easily accessible by public transportation, and you can even get a few dollars off the price of your admission if you show your bus ticket or transfer. If you really want to go green, bike or walk to the Academy. That area of San Francisco is rarely hot, so it makes walking very pleasant.
When to Go: free days or less crowded days?!
If you happen to be a San Francisco resident, definitely go on a free day for your neighborhood. These free days pop up only a few times a year, so don’t miss them! If you are part of the six billion people on the planet who don’t live in San Francisco, no worries! Every third Wednesday of the month is free, but beware the hoards, and see my plan below for navigating the Academy efficiently. Now, if you can’t make it on a free day, then see below for possible discounts and enjoy a less crowded Academy of Sciences! I like to save up my money and then go on a gloomy Tuesday in February, for example, preferring to pay for my ticket and deal with fewer visitors. But that’s just me!
Lowdown on Prices: do not be deterred!
Now, my sister was bowled over by the platinum tour, which costs $99 a pop. If you can afford it, go for it! Other pricey, but excitingly tempting ways to explore the Academy include having a child’s birthday celebration there, or having a sleepover with the penguins, for example. Basically, the price of one regular admission for an adult is $29.95. The Academy has discounts for students, AAA members, seniors and people with proof that they took public transportation to get there. Children under 3 are free. Also, go to http://www.visitcalifornia.com/Fun-Spots/ for a coupon for $5 off general admission. If you want to experience the museum without rambunctious and noisy kids, then opt for an evening of “Nightlife,” which is once a week event that only costs $12 and involves live music, yummy cocktails and access to exhibits. I have always wanted to go, and I have lived “Nightlife” at the museum vicariously through friends without kids who have raved about the experience. Just for the record, I wouldn’t trade the daytime experience with my toddler for anything in the world. It’s just fun to hear about what people like me used to do. So those are your options! But do not be deterred, the experience is worth the money if you eek the most out of it!
Food: a quick note!
The food at the Academy of Sciences is very pricey but delicious. Every time I go, I am determined not to get suckered in to buying any food, determined not to visit the museum on an empty stomach…but alas, I have never been able to resist the museum’s cafeteria food. Some of the most delicious restaurants in the city have brought their food to this cafeteria. I highly recommend The Slanted Door’s “Out The Door” cuisine. It’s supposed to be modern Vietnamese. Their soups, noodles and vegetarian baked buns are my favorite things to get. Like the other caterers in the cafeteria, the foods (and drinks!) there emphasize all that is locally and eco-consciously produced, which fits in with the theme of the museum. Good for them! My first time at the Academy, I also picked up a nifty wallet-sized chart with a list of sustainable, mercury-free types of fish and seafood. Very useful, as I whip out the chart almost every time I’m at the supermarket nowadays.
Upon Entering the Academy: hit the ground running!
When you arrive (and do so as early as possible in the day), immediately get your planetarium tickets (not recommended for children under 6, if I remember correctly). Then move on to get your “Snakes and Lizards” tickets (this summer’s main exhibit), and then get in line for the rainforest exhibit. Then relax and enjoy. You’re all set for hours of wonderment! The Academy’s website boasts, “the only place on the planet with an aquarium, a planetarium (all digital!), a natural history museum, and a 4-story rainforest all under one roof.” Take the time, if you can, to really explore each exhibit, because there is so much to learn, discover and enjoy!
Most kids will say that the aquarium is the most exciting part of the Academy. The best way to enter the aquarium is from the rainforest exhibit. You take the elevator down about five floors and end up underwater. One cool think is the underwater tunnel, where you find yourself walking through an Amazonian river. Cards with water creature names and pictures help kids of all ages identify all the fish and other creatures swimming above the tunnel. You’ll find a tank of sweet, misunderstood piranhas in that area as well as a giant boa constrictor and an electric eel, with some hands-on activities. Super fun! Then you can explore coral reefs, hang out with starfish, and upside-down jelly fish. Don’t miss the giant bass or the crazy, ethereal looking sea horses! They are awesome!
The all-digital planetarium is beautiful, and when I last went, Whoopi Goldberg superbly narrated the show on the Solar System and the origins of life on Earth. I recommend sitting in the nosebleed section.
The rainforest is my favorite section of the Academy. Not only is the atmosphere wondrous and the insects and birds fascinating, but you find out really cool things about every rainforest on the planet! For example, you learn what happens for real when a tree falls in the forest! It’s also easy to feel invested in the lives of the death-defying leaf-cutter ants and their bodyguards! The Academy makes these things terribly exciting. Instead of having audio tours, with bulky, germy equipment, the Academy of Sciences has a neat system that I like to use in the rainforest exhibit, where you can simply use your cell phone to get a free audio tour of the exhibit at which you are standing. Oh and just so you’re prepared, the rainforest exhibit is swarming with the most beautiful butterflies you’ll ever see. I don’t enjoy the idea of butterflies landing on me, but they are amazing to watch, and it’s such a rare opportunity, not to be missed!
This summer’s main attraction is “Snakes and Lizards,” where the goal is to make the misunderstood creatures more approachable. And don’t forget to visit the famous albino aligator, Claude! He’s an old man at 13 years old, and doesn’t move much, but he is most definitely alive and kicking! The roof of the Academy is a living one, and every time I’m up there, I think, ”Hey! Why doesn’t everyone have a green, living roof?” Maybe it’s the hippie dippie San Franciscan in me, but seriously folks. Talk about an ideal location for photosynthesis, no? As you might have guessed, I’m no biologist or horticulturalist, so I admit I don’t know how well it would work. I’m tempted to try to stick some dirt and native seeds on my roof and see what happens. Before you leave, try to catch an African penguin feeing. The Q&A sessions with the Academy staff are really interesting. If you can’t make a feeding, still spend some time in the fascinating African Hall, and say hi to the endangered penguins at the end of the hall.
Go to the California Academy of Sciences website to find out more on how to plan your visit!
And if you have more time in your day…the Academy of Sciences is really the crown jewel of Golden Gate Park, which really has gems tucked away in every corner. Just across from the Academy of Sciences, you have the De Young Museum and the Japanese Tea Gardens. Within walking distance, you can also explore the Botanical Gardens, stroll through the Conservatory of Flowers, or paddle around Stow Lake. Those are just a few of the cool places to explore, which are close to the Academy of Sciences, in Golden Gate Park.
