After almost 10 years of planning and rebuilding, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park finally reopened this past Saturday, Oct. 27.
Renowned architect Renzo Piano designed the new 412,000-sq.-ft. building, a single structure housing several state-of-the-art science centers, including a planetarium, an aquarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rainforest. The design celebrates the interconnectedness of the natural world by intertwining elements of each throughout the museum; for example, you'll find aquarium exhibits in various corners of the building.
The Exhibits
The Academy is home to more than 40,000 animals—six times the number in the previous building. Visitors are raving about new exhibits like the multi-level rainforest dome featuring animals of Borneo, Costa Rica and Madagascar; and the Philippine Coral Reef—a 25-ft.-deep tank said to be the largest interior coral reef in the world—where wired divers can communicate with spectators. And don’t miss the redesigned penguin exhibit located in African Hall.
The Living Roof
One of the coolest new features of the Academy is the 2.5-acre Living Roof, composed of seven hillocks and 1.7 million native plants including the California poppy, the miniature lupine and the scrumptious strawberry. To stabilize the vegetation, the designers created 50,000 biodegradable trays—individual plant boxes that essentially act as roof tiles; as the roots grow, the “tiles” bind together even stronger.
Not only is the roof aesthetically pleasing, it’s also a knockout when it comes to innovative eco-solutions: it’s a natural heating and cooling system (thus minimizing energy costs), it decreases carbon dioxide by creating oxygen (who doesn’t love breathing clean air?), it captures rainwater, and it’s dotted with skylights, which act as vents and sources of natural light.
Also—I know, I’m almost done—the Living Roof is surrounded by 60,000 photovoltaic cells, which supply up to 10 percent of the Academy’s energy. The eco-amazingness of this building is just endless, so check it out for yourself: www.calacademy.org.
California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr. Open Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets cost $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for youth 12-17, $14.95 for kids 7-11, free for kids under 6; $19.95 for seniors 65 and over, and for students with a photo ID. Free day: third Wednesday of each month. Tel. 415-379-8000, www.calacademy.org.
Did you visit the California Academy of Sciences this past weekend?
What was your favorite exhibit? Tell us about your discoveries!
