From speedy ocean animals to the world’s fastest sailboats, find out what it takes to be swift in the sea. Learn about the fascinating adaptations of the ocean’s fastest animals, examine a sailboat designed by ORACLE TEAM USA, defender of the 34th America’s Cup, and more!
Speed Demons of the Sea
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See the amazing adaptations that sailfish, yellowfin tuna, Humboldt squid, and shortfin mako sharks have evolved for speed and long-distance ocean travel. From streamlined body shapes and retractable fins to piston-like muscles, these creatures demonstrate that there is more than one way to be fast in fluid. After comparing the forms of these speedy animals, put your knowledge to the test by making a fictitious fast fish out of fanciful fins and body shapes. |
Built to Race
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See ORACLE TEAM USA’s AC72 and AC45 wing-sail catamarans in action on San Francisco Bay. |
ORACLE TEAM USA's AC45 and AC72 wing-sail catamarans demonstrate creative design and boundary-breaking technology. Catch a glimpse of the AC45 catamaran suspended from the ceiling between the Swamp and the Piazza. |
The Orca Lab
Photo courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Cetacean Research Program |
During the first few weeks of Built for Speed, visitors will be able to watch as Academy staff and volunteers carefully assemble the skeleton of an 18-foot-long juvenile orca that washed ashore deceased at Point Reyes National Seashore in November 2011. The skeleton was retrieved and transported to the Academy for future scientific study. Once assembled, the skeleton will be on view for the duration of the exhibit. |
Take Action
Photo courtesy of Tyler Mifflin |
Plastic waste, wastewater pollution, and unsustainable fishing are three major threats to the health of the oceans today. Learn about these threats and find out how you can help at Ocean Action stations throughout the exhibit. Created from manmade marine debris, these stations highlight community-based initiatives offering tips for taking conservation action. |
Orca Discovery
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Orcas, also known as killer whales, are the fastest members of the dolphin family. They can reach top speeds of 55 km/h in open water or cruise slowly during long oceanic migrations. Their large size, great strength, and torpedo-shaped bodies contribute to the marine mammals’ prowess as mighty hunters. Listen to an Orca’s Call Orca recording courtesy of John K. Ford, PhD, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
A Rare Specimen
Photo courtesy of Ben Yaffe |
Long before the juvenile orca washed ashore in Northern California, researchers knew him. Scientists had photographed this orca off the coasts of Canada and Alaska and identified him as Orca O319. He died of unknown causes. Academy scientist Moe Flannery led the team that responded to the stranding. Since little is known about this type of orca—called an offshore ecotype—the skeleton was retrieved and transported to the Academy for future scientific study. Learn more about her year-long experience with Orca O319. |
Rebuilding Orca O319
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Follow “bone-building expert” Lee Post, Academy staff, and volunteers as we articulate the bones of a real orca skeleton on the exhibit floor. Follow our progress and submit your questions. See 286 pieces of an 18-foot-long orca whale assembled by 37 volunteers and 5 staff over 5 weeks in this time-lapse video. |
Built for Speed Programs & Activities
Week of Tuesday, October 1st
Please select a date to see upcoming events.
Sunday, September 29thMember's Hour Program: Wonders of the California Coast
Location: Northern California Coast
10:15 am
Under the waves and beyond the beaches of California lies one of the world’s richest marine communities. Learn why a rockfish lies motionless on the ocean floor, what sea urchins and leopard sharks find delicious, and how we’re connected to these diverse ocean inhabitants.
Sunday, September 29thFin-tastic Fish
Location: Piazza
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm
Fish are the ultimate swimmers, but how do they do it? Explore the fascinating physical adaptations that allow fish to swim and survive. Get up and move to experience what it would feel like to have fins, and learn how fish use their bodies to move in different ways in diverse habitats.
Sunday, September 29thThe Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Monday, September 30th
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Tuesday, October 1st
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Wednesday, October 2nd
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Thursday, October 3rd
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Friday, October 4th
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
- Saturday, October 5th
The Last Reef 3D: Cities Beneath the Sea
Location: Forum Theater
11:00 am|12:00 pm|1:00 pm|2:00 pm|3:00 pm|4:00 pm
Don a pair of 3D glasses and fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a thousand jellyfish, visit an alien world where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. The Last Reef will take you on a breathtaking journey to these cities beneath the sea, which are as vital to life on Earth as the rain forests. Experience a thrilling underwater journey through the world’s reef ecosystems that uses unprecedented macro 3D cinematography to bring the teeming world of coral reefs to life in the Academy’s Forum Theater, and consider what it would mean if one of these wonderlands were to become the last reef, a very real danger being faced today.
Our Actions Matter
Ocean Action sculptures created by Richard Lang and Judith Selby Lang. Learn more |
We are all stewards of the ocean, and collectively we are helping fragile marine ecosystems and the amazing animals that live there. Join with millions of others through partner organizations and be part of the solution by taking steps to reduce plastic waste, unsustainable fishing practices, and wastewater pollution. |
Pass on Plastic
There are numerous ways to reduce the amount of plastic trash–from toys to takeout containers–that blows into waterways and rides the ocean currents.
What can you do?
Photo courtesy of Stiv Wilson/5gyres.org |
The nonprofit 5Gyres is working to create a planet free of plastic pollution. Millions of tons of tiny bits of plastic float in giant patches—also called gyres—in oceans around the world. It degrades slowly and endangers sea creatures that mistake it for food. Learn more |
Photo courtesy of Rik Panganiban |
The best way to keep plastic out of the ocean is by using less of it, but you can also be imaginative and find creative ways to reuse plastic trash. See how the Academy’s Pearson Young Scientists did just that as sustainability sleuths. |
Photo courtesy of Michael Stewart |
Participate in the Waste to Waves program, a recycling effort that collects your Styrofoam waste and recycles these materials into new surfboard foam cores. Check out their website to find a convenient drop-off spot. Learn more |
Be Seafood Savvy
Creative Commons: Jon Anderson 
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When eating, make ocean-friendly choices. Your seafood selections will help protect the health of the food chain and sustain wild, diverse, and healthy ocean ecosystems.
Make it easy by using the Seafood Watch® smartphone app, created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This easy-to-use pocket app helps you select the best choices on a seafood menu and tells you which items to avoid. Download the app. For more ideas on sustainable seafood, check out a recent Science Today article highlighting timely developments from around the world. |
Clean Up the Flow
Photo courtesy of Maureen Decombe |
Remember—everything that goes down a drain or storm sewer can end up in the ocean. Easy steps that will have a large impact on protecting water quality and marine life include:
Want more ideas? The Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition seeks to reduce waste and pollution while creating vibrant green spaces. Learn more |
Purchase Online |
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Surfboard Contest |
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Now through September 29
Enter for a chance to win the custom-made surfboard featured in Built for Speed!
#ReimaginePlastic |
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What are your ideas for re-imagining plastic waste to help keep it out of the ocean?
Thank You |
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Built for Speed is generously supported by:
- Lakeside Foundation
- The Bernard Osher Foundation
- Wendy and Eric Schmidt
- Oracle
The California Academy of Sciences is the Official Education Partner of ORACLE TEAM USA.
San Francisco CityPass |
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Save 44% off admission to California Academy of Sciences, plus 4 more top San Francisco attractions: 7-day MUNI Passport, Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise, Exploratorium, Monterey Bay Aquarium OR Aquarium of the Bay. Adult: $84 (value $149) Child (5-11): $59 (value $112) CityPASS is valid for nine days beginning the first day of use.
