California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive,San Francisco,
California 94118
(415) 379-8000
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41 Reviewsfor California Academy of Sciences
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00 families found this helpful
"visited twice"
i have visited this place twice, my daughter likes fish in aquariums and sea horses.
i like amazon rain forest dome, aquariums, lively African animals, roof of the building.
admission and food are expensive
admission is free on third Wednesday of every month (expect long lines)
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0 families found this helpful
"Very Educational if You Can Get Near Anything"
If you're headed here anytime soon, pack A LOT of patience with you and prepare for crowds. This place has a lot to offer and a lot to learn from if you can get near any of it!!! The crowds were so overwhelming, I think it would be a great idea for the SF Fire Chief to hightail it over there and monitor the situation. We weren't able to see a single show ---- apparently they offer a spectacular bug show and some planetarium thing but, by noon there were no show passes to be had. You could view a rain forest housed in a three-story terrarium bubble, if you cared to wait two-hours in a line. Have you ever waited in line with an active 7-year-old and an anxious 4-year-old? Hell, doesn't even begin to describe it.
There were three eating choices in the place ---- the largest, which was just off the entryway , was so crowded, people were eating on the floor. The second choice had a 40-minute wait in line and the third choice, labeled as fine dining, cost a small fortune.
So people, here is what I suggest you do should you want to see this place:
Get a membership. A family membership is just under $160. You can write it off on your taxes and visit multiple times in a year. You also avoid waiting in the massive (and I mean MASSIVE) ticket line to get in. Arrive during members-only hour (which is the hour before the museum opens to the public), collect any show passes you want at that time and see as much as you possibly can before the throngs crush through the doors.
If you need to eat --- walk out of the park toward Irving (just walk in the direction of the bandstand in between the academy and the De Young and keep going until you hit the edge of the park) and patronize a local restaurant (there are many over in the area of Irving) where you won't be treated like just another number in the sea of humanity. You can return to the museum after your meal satiated and ready to learn as the folks who lined up at the same time are fainting from hunger or fuming with frustration.
0 families found this helpful
"California Academy of Sciences"
I took my 15 month old daughter to the California Academy of Sciences for the first time. It looks so different now since they remodeled it. They even have a nice toddler area for them to play at. When it gets crowded, you have to wait in line a little bit. I took my daughter to the aquarium area. She loves looking at the different kinds of fish. We also went to see the rainforest. It was very nice. We need to go back to see the rest of it.
0 families found this helpful
"Great Fun & Educational Experience"
This place has so much to look at its amazing! There's a great rain forest walk through, and the astronomy show is a must-see, especially since there's not additional cost. The Aquarium is nice as well, and the penguins are adorable. Just keep in mind the food options are not cheap.
0 families found this helpful
"Good for new parents on leave"
We had a family membership, and I wish I had visited more often during my maternity leave, when my baby and I could go on a weekday.
The aquarium was a big draw for us; my baby enjoyed eyeballing the fish and other animals, and it made a nice, restful change from just walking around the neighborhood. Plus it was easy to nurse discreetly in the back row of seats facing the big tropical tank.
Like other reviewers, I'd recommend sticking to weekdays if possible and making short trips rather than trying to squeeze in every sight. I was also glad I could use a carrier rather than a stroller in those crowds.
1 family found this helpful
"Awesome Visit"
Although I grew up in San Francisco and going the California Academy of Science, I haven't been back since the Academy re-opened last year. So, we were very excited to be asked to review the new Extreme Mammal Exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. I must say that the Academy did not disappoint! From young to old, we all found something interesting and exciting to be enjoyed at the Academy.
Cast:
Grammy, 67. Never visited the Academy before.
Heather, 37. Visited the Academy on field trips as a kid, but haven’t been since the remodel. BLOWN AWAY by the remodel!
Joshua, 6. Animal expert. He’s been twice before with school. He acted as our guide.
Natalie, 5. Never been. She loves sea turtles and clown fish. She was not disappointed.
The first stop we made at the Academy was at the very rare albino crocodile. I had never seen such a thing! The kids were fascinated and delighted in observing the crocodile and watching him move. Helen, our docent, explained that the crocodile hardly ever moved, so it was a rare treat to see him active.
Next, we toured the ground floor where our docent showed us several “highlights” including the rain forest dome, and the “teaser” exhibit for the Extreme Mammals exhibit. She also answered questions on the various differences between the new Academy and the Academy I remember from my youth. I thought the renovation was exquisite and tasteful. Just enough of the old to respect the history of the building mixed with enough of the new to propel the Academy through several more decades. The one thing I really appreciated was they kept the sense of exploration and learning that always existed in the old Academy.
One of the main highlights the Academy is the Rainforest Dome. To get into the Rainforest, you enter another guarded door, where it is explained to you that you must climb to the top and then take an elevator down to the aquarium level. There is no other exit. For this reason, do not go into the Rainforest unless you can spend at least 20 minutes in there. However, once you’re in, you’ll discover that the Rainforest is awesome. There are butterflies flying by you, parrots, and all sorts of creatures. You ascend on a winding walkway which takes you through the various levels of the rainforest – from the ground up. Once at the top, you can overlook the Rainforest as if you were in the canopy! Two warnings: as it is a Rainforest, it is very temperate inside. If you do not tolerate warmer temperatures, this is an exhibit best observed from outside the exhibit. Second, ou will have butterflies flying on you, at you, and all around you! While inside the Rainforest, we even saw a bird busy building its nest. It was noisy, hot, and colorful in there – its hard to describe, but it felt like we had been transported into a real rainforest! It was great!
Once done, we descended by elevator to the aquarium level. Unfortunately, we did not have much time left before I had to leave for work, so we just made a brief visit to the aquarium. I cannot wait to go back for some more time! The aquarium has several sections, all filled with amazing views of the fish, sea turtles, sharks, and other creatures of the deep. There is even a peek-a-boo spot just for kids! The kids loved that part the best – especially since they had to describe what they were seeing to me and Grammy. According to my kids, “[it was] AWESOME!”
Finally, we just *had* to check out the gift shop. Here, we found quite a treasure or two! There are all kinds of neat and unique gift items here. They have an expansive book collection, organic clothing and bags, and beautiful artwork. The best part is that it was, for the most part, reasonably priced.
We had a really amazing day at the Academy of Sciences and cannot wait to go back. We hope to become members soon so we can spend our time exploring each of the areas extensively. While you can do a short trip like we did, it is best to save the trip for a day when you can give it a lot of time. Keep in mind that we went on an off-day; during the weekend and especially during holiday weeks, it can get quite crowded.
The best deal, in my opinion, would be to become a member – even if you are only visiting for a short time. Family memberships are reasonably priced and most come with discounts you can use at the shop. Single-day tickets can be steep, especially when you add-on parking.
*This review is based on a complimentary visit to Academy of Sciences. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
0 families found this helpful
"California Academy of Science"
There is no doubt that this is a fantastic day out for older kids and adults- the exhibits are awesome and just the building itself is worth seeing.My kids are pre-school age and younger and so the value we got from the day was fairly limited. They really enjoyed the aquarium which has a very cool walk through tank, and the kids zone turned out to be a huge hit, but the admission is a little too steep to justify these two areas alone. I will definitely go back, but not for a few more years...
0 families found this helpful
"Wonderful place to spend the day"
I couldn't believe it at first when my daughter said that she wanted to go here. I was almost knocked off my feet. But once I went there, I could completely understand why! It was a total blast! She spent countless hours in the children's playroom and kept herself occupied. I had to almost drag her out of there in order to get lunch, where once again, I was impressed! The food was outstanding and I'd love to recommend this place to everyone~
1 family found this helpful
"Great SF addition"
We went for the first time last year. We will be back many, many times. The aquarium is absolutely fantastic. The planetarium show is like nothing I have seen before and is well worth the effort of getting ing. Reserve a spot early!!! The penguin show is very interesting. SF has done a fantastic job of making science and nature accessible and fun all in one roof. We appreciated the eco-friendly building and messaging. The location is central to many other attractions. Easy to get to.....parking, well is SF what do you expect? The cost is fair. Plam on spend a day or two. Fun for all ages.
0 families found this helpful
"Good but prob better for older kids"
I have been dying to go here. Finally, my husband and I took our 2 year old (24 months). It was pretty expensive but I used my handy dandy trekaroo coupon, which was the same as a military discount. We arrived about 1:30 pm on Tuesday and there was maybe 25 other people in the whole place. I was so worried about crowds too. lol We did the rainforest first, which was great. My toddler ran through it and stopped to look every once in a while. We were done in about 2 hours (max) because there were no crowds at all and because we really is only into living things. He liked the aquarium section and penguins the most, prob because his attention span is still very little and these things move alot. He was nice to go and enjoy a day with my family. If it was crowded, I am sure my little one would not have enjoyed it that much. I am glad I went but will wait until he is older before we return. I also think the aquarium is pretty comparable to the Monterey Aquarium.
1 family found this helpful
"Awesome place for kids"
Yes, it is expensive at $25 per person admission. But if you plan to go a few times per year, the membership is well worth the cost - especially for our family since we live 10 minutes away.
It is a great place to go on rainy days. We are there at least twice a week in the winter months. The toddler room is handy for when I need to nurse my younger son since my older son can run around and play safely (in a confined area).
Besides the fish, our favorite things to do here are to visit the butterflies in the Rain Forest, play some of the interactive games, watch the penguins swim, and practice our animal noises in the African Hall.
The cafe is a bit expensive, but they let you bring in your own food and the cafe's pork rolls (around $2) are a big hit with our son and a decent price. If you need to sit and have a snack before the cafe officially opens, they will let you into the seating area.
The bonus members' hours are great too..... Sunday morning members' hours in particular.
1 family found this helpful
"Awesome place!"
This is probably one of the best aquariums I've ever been to! The line to get in can be long, but they have a booth out front where you can buy your tickets and get in a shorter line, which moves pretty fast. The place itself is huge, and you probably won't get to see everything in one day, but there is a lot you will see! There is a rainforest exhibit, but we didn't get to go in that one, as the line was 2.5 hours long! It looked cool, though! There are tons of children's activities, a restaurant where you can eat an expensive lunch, and even an outside viewing of the rooftop vegetation! Wear comfy shoes, too... my feet were KILLING me at the end of the day! Overall, though, it's definitely worth it for the education and fun you'll have!
1 family found this helpful
"Cool..."
I took 5 of my kids (4-16) about an hour before closing and there were no lines at all on a Tuesday. We would have liked to have spent more time but we made it thru all of the exhibits(no lines!) with time to spare. We did not spend much time on any one exhibit but we saw it all. I do not know that I would pay full price(bought a citypass) for the museum if there were lines that took hours. It is a beautiful place but I cannot imagine spending tons of money to stand in line.
2 families found this helpful
"Perfect for a rainy winter day"
My daughter loves the CAS. Her favorite part is the kids playroom, which she would happily spend hours in. She is a social butterfly, so she loves meeting new kids. Speaking of butterflies, the rainforest exhibit is a total blast! We got to hold a Giant Owl butterfly (actually, he landed on my hand and wouldn't leave). The aquarium dive shows are good too, but geared more for older kids (K and up).
After a morning of sightseeing, the cafeteria is a welcome stop. I never thought I would say this, but the food is awesome! We had cha xiao bao (chinese bbq pork buns) for lunch and they were some of the best I've ever had. They also have vietnamese Pho soup, which I think is made by Slanted Door. The bakery is dangerous- the carrot cupcakes are especially good. Sure, its pricy, but I'm happy to pay for good food.
The only downside to CAS are the crowds and long lines. Definitely plan to get there when it opens and buy tickets in advance or just purchase a yearly membership.
1 family found this helpful
"Wonderful place for kids of all ages"
I recently took my 2 year old son here and he loved it! They have so many displays and activities. My son enjoyed the animal displays and loved the toddler room where he was allowed to run around and play with all the toys. It was great fun for him. I especially enjoyed the aquarium. Also, they have a good variety of food options(from upscale to grab and go). Awesome place to take your kids - worth the trip. We definitely plan to return again.
1 family found this helpful
"We found the remodeled Academy to be disappointing."
Maybe I'm just nostalgic, but I definitely miss the old Academy of Sciences. We were not impressed with any aspect of the newly-remodeled experience. We had to stand in a really, really long line to get in, the price (about $25/adult) is extraordinarily high, the crowds were thick and hard to navigate. Much of the facility has a sleek, high-tech look and feel, but the exhibits were largely uninteresting. The aquarium is hidden downstairs in the dark (not that the aquarium was ever impressive), and it still had that uncleaned-fish-tank odor hanging about it, which you'd think would not already be present. The cafe was overly crowded and chaotic, and they don't offer kid's meals/portions. I didn't walk away feeling that I'd like to go back, that my money was well-spent, or that we had a good day out as a family.
0 families found this helpful
"A great day in the park"
This is a wonderful place to bring your family for a day of exploring. We enjoyed the aquarium in the basement. The rain forest exhibit looks great, but the line was too long for us to get in before it closed. The planetarium requires that you get passes which are free and handed out well in advance so be sure to pick them up as soon as you arrive if you intend to go. The rooftop garden is worth the climb and the view is great!
2 families found this helpful
"Makes me want to live in SF..."
...almost...but you still can't beat the our secret little island in the East! Yes, we got a membership which is very exciting but it's a trek for us to get there. Still though, what an awesome little place. Perfect scale for a toddler and for his child-like parents. After the first visit my new plan for visits is this - arrive during the member's only hour and spend time in the exhibit that the adults most want to see. Once the masses come in, let our toddler pick whatever he wants to do. Oooh, I want to go this weekend! Highly recommended.
1 family found this helpful
"A disappointment"
With all that money and that buzz, how come we still prefer the old Academy of Sciences? So much space and so little to discover. Granted: the Rainforest is really nice and we all liked the science/screens area. But overall, there is not much space to navigate in the rainforest exhibits and the aquarium. The living roof is nice but well, just nice. The penguins could have benefited from a bigger exhibit and why keep the savana exhibition the way it was when you changed everything else?
I have two free tickets and I can not persuade my children go back...
1 family found this helpful
"Not very family friendly"
Expect to wait in a huge line and pay way too much for tickets. It takes hours to enter and once you are there the lines for the exhibits move at a snails' pace. The cafe does not offer kid friendly meals and overcharges for the food they do have. If your children are less than 12 years old the exhibits are boring and you will spend the day wishing you had gone somewhere else.
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