Discover a miniscule world where materials have special properties and new technologies have spectacular promise! Find out how gecko feet, butterfly wings, and other things found in nature have inspired some amazing innovations.

Join educators for an exciting hands-on program each day at 1:00 pm and at various times during the week. Build a giant nano puzzle, explore how 3D imaging helps scientists work on the nanoscale, and do a variety of other activities on your own throughout the Naturalist Center (located on Level 3). Stop by to make a special nano “Naturalist Craft” each Sunday, March 31 and April 7, 12:00 pm-4:00 pm.

NanoDays is a nationwide festival of educational programs organized by the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Network). To find out more information about this festival and the fascinating world of nanoscience, visit whatisnano.org.

As regular visitors of the Naturalist Center know, our real Camarasaurus lentus leg bone (that you can touch) and dinosaur coprolite (fossilized poop) are quite impressive! If you haven’t seen these Jurassic fossils, come visit soon, as they’re part of a temporary display.

And, if you’re looking for even more dinos, check out this petting zoo performance from one of our partners:

Created and Performed by
ERTH – Visual & Physical Inc.

ERTH’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo

Gather the kids for a visit to a petting zoo like none other! Life-like puppets, from cute baby dinos to teeth-gnashing tyrannosaurs, come to life in an eye-popping performance that will delight all ages. This interactive event allows you to travel back to prehistoric times with ERTH performers and even feed, water and care for these marvelous creatures. The meganuera, dwarf allosaur and leallynasaura can’t wait to be petted and fed. Dare you get close?

“Technical brilliance, cultural insight and enchantment all in one go.”
– Sydney Morning Herald

Standard:    $18 | Members $16 | Students $14

Growing Up Asian in America:

Science and the World Around You, 2012 Our Oceans Contest

“Saving Our Oceans One Stroke at a Time” by Sophie Fu

Growing Up Asian in America is an annual essay and art contest sponsored by the Asian Pacific Fund. This year the California Academy of Sciences jointly sponsored a science essay and art contest around the theme of “Our Oceans.” All students in grades 6–8, regardless of ancestry, were eligible to enter. This contest was made possible through the generosity of Loretta Huahn and the support of the Oakland and San Francisco Public Libraries.

On November 10, 2012, the contest winners and their families came to the Academy for an awards ceremony. After the ceremony, the winners went to the Naturalist Center to pick a marine specimen to display with their work. Be sure to check out these awesome essays and artwork, plus specimens, on display in the Naturalist Center. The displays will be on exhibit until January 25th.

The winners:

Sophie Fu, 1st Place, artwork: “Saving Our Oceans One Stroke at a Time” (displayed image)

Divya Prakash, 1st Place, essay: “Letter from an Ocean”

Emily Zhao, 2nd Place, artwork: “Saving the Oceans with Kids’ Power”

Hender Lin, 2nd Place, essay: “The Shark Fin’s Dilemma”

Gloria Fung, 3rd Place, artwork: “We All Live in One Ocean”

Logan Dong, 3rd Place, essay: “I am Asian American”

Nancy Li, Honorable Mention, untitled artwork

Kiana Hu, Honorable Mention, essay: “Ocean Waves”

December 9-10: Decorate a Gift Bag

Put your creativity to work and make an amazing gift bag!