The new California Academy of Sciences has announced its grand opening date as Sept. 27. After four years and a makeover budget of $500 million, the new facility brings together an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and scientific research facilities.
Following its opening, the academy will allow visitors to explore engaging, hands-on activities. In just one day, guests will be able to experience of the outer reaches of the galaxy in the world’s largest all-digital planetarium, get a bird’s eye view of the humid canopy of a Costa Rican rainforest and enjoy the view underneath the waves at the world’s deepest display of living corals. More than 38,000 live animals will fill the new academy’s aquarium and natural history exhibits — one of the most diverse collections of live animals at any museum or aquarium in the world.
Renzo Piano, a Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect, designed the new building to blend seamlessly into San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. As an illustration of the academy’s mission to explore, explain and protect the natural world, the Academy of Sciences’ building is topped with a 2-½ acre living roof and employs a wide range of energy-saving materials and technologies.
As of Sept. 27, the California Academy of Sciences will be open to the public every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.
California Academy of Sciences
415-379-8000
www.calacademy.org
