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Anne Kihagi Explores San Francisco’s Best Cultural Attractions
The city of San Francisco offers many museums and enriching cultural attractions. Here, Anne Kihagi explores three of the city’s best ones to visit shared in 3 part series.
California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences houses several attractions under one roof sure to interest visitors of all ages. Offering an aquarium, a natural history museum, and a planetarium, the academy also boasts a 2.5-acre living roof. The venue is also home to various educational and research programs.
The academy’s featured exhibits include the Steinhart Aquarium, which has 40,000 species, and the Osher Rainforest, which is a four-level exhibit with butterflies and birds. The academy has several long-standing exhibits like the Philippine Coral Reef, the Human Odyssey, the Tusher African Hall, and the California Coast.
There are three exhibits for the academy’s youngest visitors to enjoy. The Naturalist Center features live species and educational games and films, while the Curiosity Grove is a California forest-themed play area. Finally, the Discovery Tidepool allows children to interact with California tidepool species.The academy also offers sleepovers for their youngest visitors. Children will be able to view the exhibits after-hours and enjoy milk and cookies before bed. They can choose to sleep in areas such as the flooded forest tunnel or the Philippine Coral Reef.
The academy’s newest exhibits include the planetarium show Passport to the Universe, 400 gemstones and minerals in the geology collection, and the Giants of Land and Sea that showcases the northern part of the state’s natural wonders.
You can visit the academy Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM and on Sundays from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Visitors who are 21 and older can attend the academy’s NightLife on Thursdays from 6:00 – 10:00 PM. General adult admission is $35.95 and senior citizen admission (65+ with ID) is $30.95. Child admission (ages 4-11) is $25.95, while youth admission (ages 12-17) is $30.95. Children under three receive free admission.
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