Get NightLife emails
Delightful NightLife news, delivered weekly.
We're open daily! View holiday hours
NightLife: How Earth Came Alive!
Buy ahead to skip the line and save on tickets. 21+.
Event has passed.
0
Sounds by DJ heyLove
Check out DJ heyLove's exclusive NightLife playlist on the NightLife Spotify page
Calling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 60,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude, our alligator with albinism), the night is sure to be wild.
Nightlife is supported by Local Motion® Vodka Sodas, light, refreshing, and simply made with vodka, carbonated water, and natural flavors. Grab a can of Local Motion® at bars throughout NightLife this year!
Music
Tonight only! Scott Sampson in Conversation with Ferris Jabr - 8:00pm
Scott Sampson In Conversation with Ferris Jabr
African Hall
8:00 PM
Join Academy Executive Director and paleontologist Scott Sampson in a conversation with acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr, author of Becoming Earth, a deeply researched and beautifully written book that chronicles how life has shaped Earth over billions of years, reexamines the provocative idea that Earth itself is alive, and offers both hope and guidance as we navigate the Anthropocene.
To reveal life’s profound influence on the planet, Jabr transports readers to such extraordinary places as an observatory halfway between the treetops and clouds, an experimental nature reserve in Siberia, and a former gold mine nearly one mile underground. His book offers a radical new vision of Earth where lush forests spew water, pollen, and bacteria to summon rain; animals from termites to elephants engineer the very landscapes they roam; and microscopic plankton remake the air and sea. Jabr also introduces us to a cast of fascinating characters who are protecting the planet’s wondrous ecology in order to help determine the kind of Earth our descendents inherit for millennia to come.
Jabr is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and many other publications and the recipient of a Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant.
NightLife rules, regs, and reminders
NightLife is for adults 21+ only. Valid, physical photo ID required.
Last entry into Osher Rainforest is 7:30 pm — our animals need their sleep.
Morrison Planetarium passes are available online in advance for $5 each while supplies last. Showtimes are 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 pm. A limited number of standby seats will be available for all showtimes as space allows on a first-come, first-served basis.
Gems and Minerals: Unearthed opens to the public at 8:30 pm. It is reserved for NightLife Plus guests from 6 - 8:30 pm.
Food and drink are not permitted in Osher Rainforest, Morrison Planetarium, or the Swamp.
Help everyone stay healthy: It's not required, but we encourage all guests to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations and to mask up indoors. If you’re feeling sick or have been in close contact with someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19 or another respiratory virus, please visit another time. View our health and safety page.
Still have Qs? Click here for As.
Planetarium Shows
6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:30 pm
Where did the building blocks of life come from? Journey across space & time to explore how elements are made.
Upcoming events
January 9th at 6:00 pm
Explore the Academy at night and jump-start 2025 alongside nearly 60,000 live animals.
January 16th at 6:00 pm
See what’s revealed once the sun goes down and explore the nocturnal side of the Academy.
January 23rd at 6:00 pm
Start your weekend early at NightLife – we won't tell! Claude and the rainforest are waiting for you.
January 30th at 6:00 pm
Local treasures, tasty treats, LED lion dances. It’s time to ring in the year of the snake the NightLife way.
February 13th at 6:00 pm
Blow a kiss to our African penguins and 60,000 other creatures when you explore the Academy at night.
February 20th at 6:00 pm
We’re back with another collab with SF staple Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival featuring a DJ set by DāM-FunK.