California Academy of Sciences
In a city with an incredible amount of entertainment options, it can often be difficult to choose. For residents and visitors alike, just one of the many options is the numerous, high-quality museums that offer ongoing as well as special exhibits. One of my favorites is the California Academy of Sciences, founded in 1853. The Academy of Sciences houses a natural history museum, planetarium, aquarium and even a rainforest dome, home to more than 40,000 live animals. The Academy also recently opened the doors to “The World’s Greenest Museum.” Whether counting the number of teeth on the albino alligator or exploring the Living Roof, this museum located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is a must see.
Obviously this institution is excellent for families, so visiting the Academy on weekends will present some challenges due to crowds, strollers and runaway kids. Additionally, the Academy offers some excellent events, such as masquerade parties for Halloween, a sleepover called Penguins + Pajamas, and some events exclusively for the over 21 crowd.
Therefore, to escape the chaos of the kids and logjam of strollers, there are events such as those mentioned above that are specially designed for adults. On Sunday evenings there is a wine reception beginning at 6:00, then on to a tour at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30. While the event may be a little tough on the budget at $159 per person for non-members, it is a special event, and of course includes parking, food and wine. The other event that has been a great success is Nightlife, which takes place every Thursday night and is exclusively for the 21+ crowd, offering music, science, entertainment and cocktails. I have to admit that my experience at the Nightlife event was the first time that I saw people dancing at a museum!
A key word of advice to prepare for your visit to the California Academy of Sciences is to plan ahead. Once there, grab a cocktail and observe some of the fantastic exhibits at this one-of-a-kind San Francisco museum.
Details:
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 379-8000
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