The Academy is open daily—and NightLife is back! View our reopening page for ticketing information, health and safety details, and FAQs. As you plan your visit, please keep the following in mind:
- Reservations are required for the planetarium and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please scan the QR code in the lobby as soon as you arrive for the greatest selection of available showtimes.
- To reduce crowding, public programs are no longer scheduled at specific times. Instead, look forward to "pop-up" programs on every floor and in our outdoor spaces.
New & Featured
Sharks
Carcharodon megalodon was likely the largest shark that ever lived, growing up to three times longer than today's great whites.
Enter the realm of sharks and get to know the animals behind the sensational headlines. Closing January 23!
Living Worlds
Like interstellar calling cards, technosignatures of intelligent life would signal that we're not alone.
Our newest planetarium show explores how scientists are working to detect life from far, far away. Now playing!
Wander Woods
Awaken your senses in our new hands-on, whimsical outdoor nature playspace—now open in the East Garden!
NightLife
Attention creatures of the night: NightLife is back! Buy tickets today to explore the Academy's nocturnal side.
Academy Breakfast Club (Livestreamed)
Live, weekly mini-classes with Academy experts! 1/27: Shannon Bennett takes your questions on kids and vaccines.
Iconic Exhibits
Steinhart Aquarium
Come face-to-fin with nearly 40,000 animals—from deep-sea oddities to Claude, our alligator with albinism.
Morrison Planetarium
Experience the cosmos from the Academy's all-digital, 75-foot planetarium dome. Reservations required.
Osher Rainforest
Journey through a living 4-story rainforest, home to free-flying butterflies and birds and giant Amazonian fish.
Kimball Natural History Museum
Explore hands-on exhibits, fascinating specimens, and the latest research conducted by Academy scientists.
Ongoing Exhibits
Gems and Minerals Unearthed
Marvel at nearly 400 dazzling and dramatic gem and mineral specimens from the Academy's geology collection.
Twilight Zone: Deep Reefs Revealed
Descend into the twilight zone, where sunlight is scarce and every dive yields surprising discoveries.
Giants of Land and Sea
Experience Northern California's epic natural wonders—including a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in the Shake House.
New Science: The Academy Exhibit
Celebrate LGBTQ+ women and gender minorities of color working in STEMM in a new exhibit and online gallery.
Color of Life
Live animals and hands-on exhibits reveal the significant role color plays across a vibrant spectrum of species.
The Swamp
Explore a Southeastern swamp habitat, home to snapping turtles and our beloved alligator with albinism, Claude.
Philippine Coral Reef
Watch reef fish dart through colorful forests of coral while giant rays sail gracefully under your feet.
Tusher African Hall
Explore our evolutionary history while surrounded by dioramas of African wildlife and splashing penguins.
Living Roof
Rolling hills and 1.7 million plants create an oasis for native species atop the Academy's 2.5-acre living roof.
Human Odyssey
Trace the milestones of our species’ fascinating history by studying skull casts, interactive maps, and more.
Water Planet
Discover how animals have evolved fascinating methods of living in and out of water.
California Coast
Get a glimpse of the richness right off our coast and gaze at rockfish, eels, a giant Pacific octopus, and more.
Hands-on Exhibits
Curiosity Grove
Young imaginations soar in this colorful, California forest-themed playspace. Open daily, 10 am-4 pm.
Naturalist Center
Welcome to the Academy's hub for exploration, with books, games, specimens, and more. Open daily; hours vary.
