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Let the Wonder Begin
Built for Speed - Now Open
From speedy ocean animals to the world’s fastest sailboats, find out what it takes to be swift at sea. Learn more
The Aquarium
Meet Nemo, a colony of penguins, and 38,000 other live animals from around the world. Learn more
The Natural History Museum
Explore how life evolved on Earth, and what we can do to help conserve its diversity. Learn more
The Planetarium
Fly through space and time, and gain a new perspective on the planet we call home. Learn more
The Rainforest
Journey through a four-story rainforest that is hot, humid, and teeming with life. Learn more
Programs & Events
Thursdays from 6–10 pm
Enjoy music, creatures & cocktails after-hours with a unique weekly theme.
Daily at 12:00 pm
Experience life beneath the waves, where rockfish, leopard sharks & urchins abound.
Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 pm
Meet Academy scientists exploring and sustaining biodiversity around the globe.
Daily at 10:30 am and 3:00 pm
Meet our African Penguin colony, and ask a biologist your questions.
Daily at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm
Watch as a diver plunges into the world’s deepest coral reef exhibit.
Wednesdays at 9:45 am
Join hands-on activities, stories & crafts with rotating themes (ages 3–5).
Daily at 11am, 12pm and 1pm
Get moving and discover how fish use their bodies to swim through water.
Saturdays and Sundays
From Apollo to asteroids, learn about the fastest things moving through space.
Daily
Dive deeper with exclusive access to the aquarium or research collections.
Ongoing series
Prepare for a wild night! Join a Penguins + Pajamas sleepover, for ages 5+.
News & Highlights
Meeting an Urgent Challenge
Explore the Academy’s Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability.
Our Orca Story
Discover how a juvenile orca, known to scientists as O319, came to the Academy.
Welcome, baby Linus!
Linus is named for Linnæus, who described the African penguin species in 1758.
Int’l Endangered Species Day
Explore the link between climate change and preventing the loss of Earth’s species.
Sea Lion Strandings
The Marine Mammal Center aids statewide efforts to rescue stranded sea lion pups.
Reimagine Plastic
How would you stem the tide of plastic trash in the ocean? Share your ideas!
MorphoBank
An online database helps scientists research the evolutionary tree of life.
Prize-winning Photos
See visually stunning pictures and other highlights from this year’s contest.
Human Odyssey
Retrace humanity’s path from our African origins to our spread across the globe.
California Wildflowers
This spring, appreciate colorful blooms with our online herbarium.
Pocket Penguins
Watch our live penguin cam, now on BlackBerry 10 and other mobile devices.
3D Digitizing Project
See the unique beauty of the world’s ant species, compiled by Academy scientists.
Our Mission
The Academy is driven by a mission to Explore, Explain, and Sustain Life.
Learn more
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Your Name in Lights!
Support the Academy’s ocean conservation efforts and your gift will be honored at our new Built for Speed exhibit.
