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What's on at the California Academy of Sciences
Exhibits, Lectures, Programs and Events
November 2002
-Exhibits & Happenings -
Skulls
Ongoing through late 2003
Skulls includes almost 1,700 different dead heads -- ranging from monkeys
and giraffes to warthogs and rats to bears and dolphins. Created by Academy
staff, this exhibit is festooned with 860 sea lion heads in a 93-foot-long
undulating display. Skulls shows visitors what the study of human and
animal skulls can reveal about behavior, injury, disease, evolutionary
adaptation, and more. This strange and stunning display will captivate
young and old alike.
X-Ray Ichthyology
Ongoing through 2003
Prepare to look at fish in a whole new light. X-Ray Ichthyology captures
forty-six fish from the Academy's ichthyology collection on X-ray film.
Blown up and backlit, these large-format photographs transform scaly swimmers
ranging from piranhas to guitarfish into eerie, luminescent works of art.
Village Children
Opening: October 12, 2002
See faces of children from around the world, in villages both rural and
urban. This collection of photographs is a tribute to communities that
allow people to live and work in a space of human dimensions and shared
values. Village Children is a traveling exhibit of photographs by the
noted photographer Dr. Philip Rasori. This exhibit will be on display
in the Academy's Cafe opening October 12.
Dennis Anderson Photos
Opening: November 28, 2002
Dennis Anderson presents portraits of life on the San Francisco Bay. From
glowing undersea creatures and sunset scenes to commercial fisherman and
cargo handling, Anderson's work captures the Bay as an intersection of
nature and commerce in still photographs. Get a glimpse of San Francisco
Bay through Anderson's photography exhibit on display at the Academy in
Wild California Hall opening November 28.
Photo Contest Winners
Closing: October 27, 2002
From France to Fresno, children ages 618 have submitted photographs
to the Children's Photography Contest at the Academy. Come see the winning
entries on display in Wild California Hall.
Powers of Ten
Closing January 5, 2003
Come visit a place where the farthest reaches of the Universe and the
familiar features of your own back yard are just a few steps and a few
zeros apart. Using a series of photographs based on the landmark film
of the same name by Charles and Ray Eames, Powers of Ten explores 44 powers
of ten, beginning with 1026 meters (the size of the known Universe) and
ending at 10-18 meters (the size of the smallest known subatomic particles).
At each station, videos and objects from the Academy's vast research collections
allow visitors to investigate scientific discoveries relating to different
powers of ten.
Nature Discovery - ongoing
Each year the California Academy of Sciences offers children, families
and adults more than 200 field trips, workshops and classes focusing on
science and the natural world. Explore tide pools in Marin, discover birds
in Golden Gate Park or learn how to draw and paint animals in Steinhart
Aquarium.
Steinhart Aquarium
Watch live sharks, alligators, penguins, hundreds of fish and a living
coral reef at Steinhart Aquarium. Steinhart Aquarium houses over 600 varieties
of aquatic life in 165 individual tanks. Open ocean fish swim around you
in the 100,000-gallon fish roundabout (feedings take place at 1:30 pm
daily). Penguin feedings take place at 11:30 am and 4 pm each day. California
Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park Open 365 days of the year
Free Wednesday
The first Wednesday of every month is free, all year long! The museum
stays open until 8:45 pm on free Wednesdays - at 5 pm step into Morrison
Planetarium for a free half-hour concert. Wednesday, November 6, 10 am
- 8:45 pm California Academy of Sciences, Free
The Academy is open Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, 2002
The Academy of Sciences is open 365 days of the year from 10 am to 5 pm.
-Lectures -
African Ceremonies:
Documenting a Vanishing World
Carol Beckwith & Angela Fisher
Editors Note: Photos available
Whether they are documenting male and female initiation rites or the charming
and seductive Wodaabe courtship dances, Beckwith and Fisher convey the
reverence with which the participants carry out the various ceremonies.
In 1999, they released a two-volume tome: African Ceremonies, a celebration
in photographs and text of the continent's rapidly disappearing tribal
rites and rituals. This year the authors will release a concise one-volume
edition of their photographs. Wednesday, October 23, 7:30 pm. $6 members/
$8 non-members. Booksigning to follow.
Search For the Golden Moon Bear
Join Sy Montgomery as she tells of wandering through the land-mined forests
of Southeast Asia where she encountered remote hill tribes, towering forests,
crumbling temples, monks, poachers, and scholars. Learn about astonishing
new opportunities for conserving endangered species in this fragile region.
Thursday, November 7, 7:30 pm. $6 members/$8 non-members. Booksigning
to follow.
Neither God nor Devil:
Rethinking our Perceptions of Wolves
Eva-Lena Rehnmark
Historically, wolves have occupied a range of personalities and roles
in mythologies around the world. From a symbol of evil depicted by the
Christian church in order to teach morals, to a god of fertility for crops
in Japan and the Americas, the wolf has at the same time inspired fear
and adulation. Join Eva-Lena Rehnmark as she argues that neither deification
nor demonization of the wolf is fair and that a new clear-eyed relationship
with these fascinating animals must be forged. Her lecture and book are
informed by scholarly research and observation as well as beautiful illustrations,
as she examines their role in literature, mythology, and art. Wednesday,
November 13, 2 & 7:30 pm. Free to members/ $8 non-members.
The Killers Within:
The Deadly Rise of Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Join Mark Plotkin, a renowned ethnobotanist, as he delves into the secret
lives of bacteria and describes how they have aggressively evolved and
outwitted doctors in a medical crisis that has been brewing for decades.
Learn about the scientists involved in the race to develop new means to
combat bacteria. Wednesday, November 20, 7:30 pm. $6 members/ $8 non-members.
Booksigning to follow.
-Special Events -
Morrison Planetarium's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrate Morrison Planetarium's 50th anniversary. Make your own Paper
Cup Planetarium and learn about your Birthday Moon. Look through a telescope
with the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers. Sing "Happy Birthday"
to the Planetarium and join us for a slice of cake at 1:30 pm. Activities
will take place throughout the day, the star show "Stars over San
Francisco: Then and Now" will run every hour. Join us to look forward
to our next 50 years.
· 10 am5 pm Solar Observing hosted by the San Francisco Amateur
Astronomers
· 10:30 am Celestial Story Time
· 11 am12 pm Make Your Own Paper Cup Planetarium & Learn
About Your Birthday Moon
· 124 pm Sky Shows: "Stars Over San Francisco Then and
Now" Morrison Planetarium
· 1:30 pm Wish Morrison Planetarium "Happy Birthday"
and enjoy cake
· 23 pm Make your own Paper Cup Planetarium & Learn About
Your Birthday Moon
· 3:30 pm Lecture: "Behind the Scenes in Morrison Planetarium"
Steve Craig, planetarium chairman, in conversation with Jerry Kay
Saturday, November 9, 10 am - 5 pm
In honor of Morrison Planetarium's 50th Anniversary Star Show prices
are rolled back to 1952-levels: .74¢ for adults, .30¢ for children
and seniors. This offer ends November 24, 2002.
Run To The Far Side®
The 5K and 10K Run To The Far Side® is a Thanksgiving weekend tradition
that pays tribute to the zany cartoon creations of Gary Larson. It is
the only race where herds of costumed cows, chickens, squid, cavemen,
and assorted Far Side fanatics compete side-by-side with serious athletes
in a beautiful jaunt through Golden Gate Park. Costumes are a race tradition
in the 5K, with a costume contest following the race. Those more interested
in slimming their waistline after their Thanksgiving feasts are invited
to join in the 10K run.
Sunday, December 1, 8:30 am
Pre-register: $20 for members /$25 for non-members; $30 for all on race
morning
To register call (415) 759-2690
Fees support environmental education and research programs at the Academy
and include free admission following the race.
-Seminars, Classes and Field Trips -
Hip-Hop Dance
Hip-hop dancing is an urban art form that started in the Bronx during
the late 1960's. Its popularity among inner-city youth spread throughout
the early and mid-1980's, then increased dramatically in the 1990's. Hip-hop's
most common form is b-boying, or breaking, which is characterized by a
combination of elaborate footwork and spinning moves that often resemble
acrobatics. The name came about because these dances were initially performed
during breaks in the music. In this presentation, the young dancers of
Dance-A-Vision will perform various styles of hip-hop dancing. Saturday,
November 9, 1 pm.
Songs from English Tradition
Singer and songwriter Richard Grainger, here on tour from England, performs
songs from his wide repertoire of traditional music. Saturday, November
16, 1 pm.
Native American Artifacts
Fred Wahpepah is a Native American of Kickapoo, Sac and Fox, and Irish
descent. He brings a series of traditional artifacts to share, including
beaded moccasins, a buffalo skull, fans of eagle and red-tail hawk feathers,
and a dance shawl. He will discuss the role of these objects in Native
American culture and ritual. This is a special program in honor of Native
American Heritage Month. Saturday, November 23, 1 pm.
Weaving a History of Navajo Rugs
As the former director and curator of the Navajo Nation Museum in Arizona,
Academy scientist Russ Hartman will offer a slide-illustrated journey
through rug designs, along with a presentation of Navajo rugs from the
Academy's collection. Participants are invited to bring their own rugs
to the class for identification. This class is being offered as part of
Native American Heritage Month.
Adult Seminar, Monday, November 18, 7-9 pm, $20 members/$25 non-members.
For registration information and more details, including other course
offerings,
Discovering the Form and Beauty of Skulls
The form and beauty of skulls have fascinated artists for centuries. Explore
their architecture and function as you sketch in the Academy's acclaimed
skulls exhibit, and then discover how to paint with sepia-toned inks on
vellum using the sketches as references. Instructed by artist Carolynne
Griffin. Adult Workshop Saturday & Sunday, November 2 & 3, 9 am3
pm $100 members/$110 non-members (materials not included; supply list
sent with confirmation.) For registration information and more details,
including other course offerings,
Powers of Ten and the Human Population Explosion
Discover how habitat destruction, the extinction of species, and the loss
of indigenous cultures have paralleled the exponential growth of the human
population and what can be done to reverse the trend. Instructed by photographer
and physician Phil Rasori. Adult Seminar Tuesday, November 19, 79
pm $20 members/$25 non-members. For registration information and more
details, including other course offerings,
Beginning Birding:
Fall Birds of Golden Gate Park
Learn some basic birding tips, and then head out to Strybing Arboretum
and Botanical Gardens to look for gold-crowned sparrows, acorn and hairy
woodpeckers, and ring-necked and bufflehead ducks. Instructed by birder
Nancy DeStefanis. Seminar and Field Trip for Families with Children Ages
7 and up Saturday, November 16, 9 amnoon $25 adults/$20 children,
members; $30 adults/$25 children, non-members. For registration information
and more details, including other course offerings,
-Kids: Things To Do -
Children's Story Time - ongoing
Story Time takes place in the Skulls exhibit at the California Academy
of Sciences each Saturday at 10:30 am. Children ages 3 to 7 are welcome.
Skull Halloween Tour After dark sets in...grab a flashlight
and come to tour Skulls. Learn about some of the 1700 skulls on display
from Ray "Bones" Bandar. Wednesday, October 30, 7 to 8:20 pm,
Members $2/Non-Members $5. Ages 9 and up. Space is limited.
How Do They Do That? How do animals locate prey without
seeing it or hearing it? Or swallow prey bigger than their heads? Explore
animal senses by looking at skulls. All ages. Friday, November 1; Friday,
November 29; all days: 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.
Bird Skulls Meet a live toucan, touch real bird skulls and
explore avian skulls. All ages. Tuesdays in November; all days: 11:30
am and 1:30 pm.
Mysterious Victims of Flying Predators Examine the hunting
technique of hawks, eagles and other flying predators, then reconstruct
the scene of the crime as we identify the skulls of their prey. All ages.
Saturday, November 9; Saturday, November 30; all days: 11:30 am and 1:30
pm.
Bare Bones Take a crash course on recognizing animals by
their skulls alone, learning important details used by experts to compare
species. All ages. Sunday, November 10; Sunday, November 17; Sunday, December
1; all days: 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.
Make a Skull Examine real skulls and then make a simple machine
skull model of your own. All ages. Saturday, November 16; Sunday, November
17; Saturday, November 23; Sunday, November 24; all days: 12:30 pm to
3:30 pm.
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