12 Reasons to Visit the
California Academy of Sciences with Your Kids
Where else can you find a planetarium, aquarium, a rain forest, and an albino alligator all coexisting under one living roof?
The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is home to all these things and so much more.
In this post we’ll be diving into the top reasons for visiting this super kid-friendly museum on your next visit to San Francisco. Then we’ll cover all the basics you need to know to make your visit to the Academy stress-free and seamless along with other great ideas on how to spend quality time with the family in the City by the Bay.
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What is
The California Academy of Sciences?
Not only is the California Academy of Sciences a kid-friendly place to visit, it is also a research institute and natural history museum.
The Academy (as many locals call it) is actually one of the largest natural history museums in the world and is home to animals, plants, and 46 million specimens!
According to the Academy’s website, “the mission of the California academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning and collaboration.”
The second you step food into this wonderful museum, it is easy to see that they are truly passionate about their work towards completing this mission.
Where is The California Academy of Sciences?
The California Academy of Sciences is located in a gorgeous area of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park: The Music Concourse.
What else can I do nearby the California Academy of Sciences?
Since the California Academy of Sciences is located in a prime location of Golden Gate Park, it is surrounded by many other great things to do.
- De Young Museum
- Japanese Tea Garden of San Francisco
- The Botanical Gardens of San Francisco
- Bandshell stage and live music
- Upper Irving Street shops and restaurants
This post gives you a comprehensive list of the best kid-friendly museums in and around San Francisco.
Top 12 Reasons to Visit the
Academy of Sciences with Kids
While there are endless reasons kids and parents love the California Academy of Sciences, sometimes time and energy is limited in an already busy trip to San Francisco.
So here are some of our top 12 reasons for visiting this local favorite in order to give you a better idea of what to expect from a day at The Academy and, in turn, help you plan out your next family trip to San Francisco.
1) Claude: the albino alligator
One charming reason many local families are drawn The Academy is the one and only Claude.
Claude is an American alligator and the Academy’s most famous resident because of his complete lack of pigment, a condition known as “albinism.”
Claude shares the spacious Swamp with freshwater fish and large, alligator snapping turtles.
There are two really cool ways see Claude and his swamp-mates: from above on the main floor of the museum OR from down below in the museum’s aquarium.
2) The African Hall
The African Hall is another reason to visit the California Academy of Sciences, especially for kids who love African wildlife and grown-ups who are fascinated by human evolution.
This section of the Academy features 12 detailed and immersive dioramas that place you in the middle of Africa. Here, kids will be able to take their time analyzing the fine details of a lion’s mane and an antelopes hooves all in one safe room.
For anyone fascinated by human evolution, the African Hall also features a great exhibit called “Human Odessey” that traces the long migrations and interesting milestones of the Earth’s earliest humans.
3) Penguin Feedings
The African Hall is also home to a colony of African penguins, which is another fun reason to visit the Academy of Sciences.
During any part of the day you have a great chance at seeing these playful birds diving and swimming the water.
In addition, the penguin feedings that occur twice a day at the Academy are a must. During this time, kids can watch the loving care-takers feed each penguin a nutritious meal and also answer questions from guests viewing the feeding.
Feeding times occur every day at 10:30am and 3:00pm in the African Hall.
4) Planetarium Shows
No visit to the California Academy of Sciences is complete without seeing a show in the planetarium.
During a planetarium show, you will sit on theater-style seats inside a huge 75-foot dome where you will be immersed in stunning, realistic images that take you to far-away galaxies, around neighboring planets, and even into the deepest parts of the ocean.
A few things to know:
- Reservations are required, so be sure to stop by the planetarium as soon as you enter the Academy in order to reserve your spot.
- Some shows might not be appropriate for kids under 7, so check in with planetarium staff before making your reservation.
- Academy staff is not permitted to allow kids under 4 into the planetarium
5) Indoor Rainforest
The indoor rainforest at The Academy transports you into a lush, green landscape that feels worlds away.
In this 4-story, glass dome, you will walk through the four different layers of a rainforest: the forest floor, the understory, the canopy, and the emergent layer.
With each layer, you’ll come across rainforest animals like free-flying birds, exotic amphibians, enormous Amazonian fish, and a golden silk orb-weaver spider.
A few things to know:
- Since this dome mimics the Amazon rain forest, it is warm and humid inside. Be prepared to shed layers of clothing while inside.
- The rainforest is home to more than 1,600 live plants and animals, including many fluttering butterflies. Please do not attempt to touch the delicate butterflies.
6) Pretty Butterflies
The many beautiful butterflies fluttering inside the Academy’s rainforest is always a big hit with guest.
While inside the rainforest dome, you and the kids can see tons of butterflies floating around the emergent layer. Guest can also watch them land on feeding stations where they slurp up sweet juice from orange slices.
Also at the top floor of the rainforest dome, if the timing is right, Academy guests can observe tropical moths and butterflies emerge from chrysalises and cocoons, preparing themselves for flight.
And, if a guest is extremely lucky, a moth or a butterfly might briefly land on them.
Click below for all you need to know about visiting San Francisco’s Exploratorium with kids. It’s your ultimate guide to this SF favorite.
7) The Shake House
San Francisco has a well-known history of earthquakes, so it is no surprise that the California Academy of Sciences would dedicate an entire exhibit to the science of plate tectonics and earthquake safety.
The top feature of this exhibit is the infamous Shake House, which has been a favorite among visitors since the Academy’s earlier days.
In the Shake House, visitors will feel the ground literally move, rumble, and shake.
This jolting experience gives kids and parents a small idea of the magnitude of San Francisco’s two biggest, most damaging earthquakes: the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and the Great San Francisco quake of 1906.
8) Fascinating Specimens
As mentioned earlier, not only is the California Academy of Sciences a museum, it is also a fully operating research institute.
This means that the Academy is home to millions of individual specimens and you can find them everywhere throughout the building!
You can find them up high on the walls, hanging from the ceilings, hidden in drawers, so keep your eyes open!
Some specimens include:
- atlas moth
- hominin fossiles
- iridescent beatles
- gems and minerals
- grizzly bear
9) Mesmerizing Aquarium
On the bottom floor of the California Academy of Sciences, you and your family can find a colorful and partially interactive aquarium.
This aquarium is home to over 40,000 live, aquatic animals from all over the world and from different depths of the Earth’s vast oceans. It provides a great opportunity for families to see fascinating creatures that live in parts of our world that are not accessible to most humans.
Visitors will be able to see things like fish and urchins that are commonly found along the California coast, creatures that lived deep down in the ocean’s “twilight zone”, and also colorful, tropical fish playing among sea anemones.
10) Philippine
Coral Reef
One of the main areas of the Academy’s aquarium is the unbelievably beautiful Philippine Coral Reef tank.
At an astonishing 25 feet in depth, this tank is one of the biggest exhibits of living coral there is in the world, containing a diverse collection of tropical, marine life.
In this colorful tank, kids will have a blast spotting things playful clown fish, more than 500 types of coral, stunning starfish, and color anemones.
For more curious minds, the Academy of Sciences schedules Coral Reef Talks two times a day and it’s a perfect way for young marine biologists to learn more about coral reefs and their significance to planet.
Coral Reef Talks are hosted by live presenters and happen every day at 11:30am and 2:30pm at the Philippine Coral Reef.
11) Amazing Docents
One of the greatest things about the California Academy of Sciences is their docents.
Docents are highly trained and extremely knowledgable Academy staff that take specimens and animals out of the vault and out into spaces where guest can get closer looks at the specimens and gain deeper knowledge about the animals in hand.
Docents can answer guest questions and also offer hands-on learning opportunities, which many kids love. For example, visitors can get a chance at petting a live snake, analyzing ancient fossils, and touching grizzly bear fur.
12) The Living Roof
The Academy’s Living Roof is one signature feature of the entire building and is something all guest should take a few moments to appreciate.
The Living Roof is covered in native plants, which do more than simply provide an aesthetic view.
The Academy’s roof also provides a healthy habitat and much-needed food for vital pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies.
From the top of the Academy, you can also look out into the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse, and get a birds-eye view of the park and easy-going visitors exploring other attractions in the area.
Here is a complete comparison between San Francisco’s top kid-friendly museums to help you figure out which one is best for your family.
How much are tickets to the
California Academy of Sciences?
The California Academy of Sciences launched a plan-ahead pricing system for their admission tickets in May 2019.
With this pricing system, guests can get the best deal on tickets when purchased in advance. This means that the further you book your tickets in advanced, the more likely you are to save.
Prices are also determined based on the time of day the visit and on any other events and/or holidays happening at the time.
The prices listed below are rough estimates of tickets booked a day in advance for a 10:30am entry into the museum. (as of December 2022)
| Adults (ages 18–64) | $48.75 |
| Youth (ages 3-17) | $38.00 |
| Students with ID (18+) | $42.50 |
| Children (under 3 years of age) | FREE |
CLICK HERE to get your family’s tickets to the CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Where can I get free tickets to the California Academy of Sciences?
It is honestly quite tricky for anyone to get free tickets to this museum. However, there are a couple of ways you can possibly score them if you have a library card and/or SNAP benefits for food assistance. If you have either of these, here are two great programs to look into!
Where can I get discounted tickets to the California Academy of Sciences?
While discounts to this single San Francisco attraction is rare, if you are planning on checking out several San Francisco attractions on your next visit to the city, consider looking into the San Francisco City Pass OR Go City Pass.
With these passes, you can pay one fee to access discounted admission to the most popular attractions in the city.
CLICK HERE to get your San Francisco GO CITY PASS.
California Academy of Sciences
FAQ
When’s the best time to visit the California Academy of Sciences?
Weekends, holidays, and school breaks tend to be the busiest time at the Academy.
If possible, avoid going during these times and aim to go during the week.
What time is the California Academy of Sciences open?
Public Hours
Monday-Saturday: 9:30am-5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm
Members-only hours
Monday-Saturday: 8:30am-9:30am
Sunday: 10:00am-11:00am
Can I buy food at the California Academy of Sciences?
There are two cafes located inside the California Academy of Sciences: The Academy Cafe and The Terrace Restaurant
Is there parking at the California Academy of Sciences?
You have a couple of options when it comes to parking at the California Academy of Sciences.
1) Street parking: If you plan on visiting the Academy right when the doors open, you can easily find parking on Martin Luther King Junior Drive. However, if you park on the street, you will have to take about a 5 to 10 minute walk from your car to the entrance of the museum, which could actually make for a lovely start to your day in Golden Gate Park.
2) Paid parking: There is a paid, underground parking lot located just outside of the California Academy of Sciences. The entrance is easily accessible on Music Concourse Drive. Prices for the lot range from $5.25-$6.25/hour
What age is the the Academy of Sciences for?
What exhibits are best for toddlers at the California Academy of Sciences?
- Aquarium
- Penguins
- Rain forest
- African hall
- Curiosity Grove
How much time do I need at the California Academy of Sciences?
While it is definitely possible to hit up all the main attractions within a couple of rushed hours, in order to thoroughly enjoy everything (including meal and snack times) without rushing and stressing, setting aside 4-5 hours will give you plenty of time to make the most out of the admission price you pay to the Academy.
What is the family membership like for the California Academy of Sciences?
$279 for the entire year
Benefits include:
- Membership is good for 2 adults and children 17 years of age and under
- Unlimited Daytime Admission 365 days a year
- Member Hours every Tuesday and Sunday morning
- Members-only planetarium shows, animal feedings, and hands-on programs
- Up to 20% off lectures, tours, sleepovers, and NightLife
- 10% off shopping, dining, souvenir photos, and birthday party rentals
- Full tax deductibility
Tips and Tricks for a Great Visit to the
California Academy of Sciences
- While strollers are allow, consider going without one on busy days. It can get crowded.
- Don’t forget to enjoy the rest of the Golden Gate Music Concourse.
- Don’t miss out on the outdoor exhibits!
- Re-entry is allowed, so if you plan on leaving the Academy and returning later in the day, remember to get a hand stamp on the way out.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Bring a refillable water bottle. The Academy offers refilling stations for you to fill your water bottles at.
- Don’t forget to check out the special exhibits on the second floor.
In Conclusion
Is the California Academy of Sciences
worth it?
The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco a wonderful place that any kid would enjoy. It is chock full of animals, fossils, insects, rocks, minerals, and all things science. It’s truly amazing how much sciences there is under this one living roof!
However, the cost of regular-priced, general admission is quite pricey for most families. A family of four can expect to spend almost $200 simply on admission! That’s pretty steep.
With that said, as long as you can get discounted or free tickets from the programs listed below, the Academy of Sciences is definitely worth the time and money.
Also, for a family that holds an annual membership and plans to visit the academy at least twice in one year, visits to the Academy of Sciences is absolutely worth it!
The next time you and your team of little scientists visit San Francisco, make sure you consider adding this local favorite to your travel itinerary.
Programs that offer free or discounted admission to the Academy of Sciences.
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