This is the official privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") of the California Academy of Sciences ("Academy" or "we", "us" or "our") and describes how we handle Personal Information (as defined below) you provide to us or that we collect from you through the use of our Website which is located at (www.calacademy.org) and any replacement, substitute or backup websites and web pages that are associated with our website.

When we use the term "Personal Information" in this Privacy Policy, we mean information such as your first/middle initial or name, last name, e-mail address, street address, town or city, state, zip code, telephone number, date of birth and any other information that would allow someone to identify you or contact you. Personal Information also includes information collected and maintained through the use of our Website about your personal preferences, survey responses and your relationship with us (for example, if you are a subscriber to Academy eNews). While the Academy may use the Personal Information that you provide in order to send you Academy eNews, provide you with information regarding the Academy or to administer and maintain our Website and, if applicable, your subscription to Academy eNews, the Academy does not share, sell, rent or lease any Personal Information that you provide with any unaffiliated third parties. The term "unaffiliated third parties" or "third parties" does not include any subsidiaries or affiliates of the Academy.

We are committed to protecting the Personal Information you share with us through use of our Website and we maintains reasonable physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your Personal Information. While no data transmission over the Internet is completely secure, we have used and will continue to use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the protection of your Personal Information. If, for any reason, you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use or attempt to take advantage of any of the information, services, features or functions of the Website that might require you to provide your Personal Information (e.g., subscribing to Academy eNews).

We reserve the right to revise this Privacy Policy at any time and from time to time without advance notice, by posting an updated and revised version of this Privacy Policy on the Academy Website. The revisions are effective immediately upon posting and we encourage you to check this Privacy Policy often so you are aware of the most current terms and conditions that apply to you.

Academy eNews Newsletter

You can browse our Website without being required to divulge any Personal Information to us. Although we collect and maintain aggregate information about usage and visitors browsing our Website, no Personal Information is collected as part of this process. We only collect Personal Information about you when you subscribe to receive our Academy eNews newsletter and provide us with your email address, your name and other Personal Information when you sign up to receive our Academy eNews and become a Subscriber. - which means you are consenting to receive each issue of our Academy eNews and any related emails. You may unsubscribe to Academy eNews at any time by following the instructions provided with the link contained in each Academy eNews or e-mail message we send you or by visiting our Website at www.calacademy.org/enews/subscribe.html and submitting your registered email address in the space provided under the "Unsubscribe" heading.

If you are a Subscriber, you must give us current, complete and accurate information and keep the information you provide to us up to date. We cannot and shall not be responsible for any problems or liability that may arise if you do not give us current, accurate, truthful or complete information or you fail to update the information you give us. We will only make your Personal Information available to non-affiliated third parties in the following circumstances:

If we are compelled to do so by a governmental agency, court or other entity (e.g., to respond to subpoenas, court orders or legal process);
If we believe your actions violate a law, regulation, this Privacy Policy or any applicable Website terms of use, or if you threaten the rights, property or safety of us, our Website, any other users or third party;
If, in our sole discretion, we believe disclosure is necessary to investigate or resolve possible problems or inquiries, to protect our assets, to defend our interests or comply with our legal and regulatory obligations; or
If there is a bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, transfer of control, joint venture or other business combination involving the Academy.

Links and Third Parties

The Website may provide links to resources we believe may be useful. These links will lead you to websites operated by third parties that operate under different privacy policies. We encourage you to review those privacy policies, as we have no control over information you may submit to those third parties or how they may use the information you provide to them. We may use third parties, such as ad server companies, to present advertisements you may see on our Website, which may also include advertisements placed by third parties. These third parties may employ cookie and web bug technologies to measure advertising effectiveness. We have no control over such third parties use of technologies or their policies and practices concerning their collection and use of your information. Our Privacy Policy does not cover information collected by third parties, nor how they may use such information.

How We Protect Your Information

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy and ensure the correct usage of information, we use commercially reasonable efforts to monitor and adjust our physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the Personal Information we collect online. We limit access to the Website by our own employees to individuals who are authorized for the proper handling of such information and any employee found violating our standards of security and confidentiality is subject to our disciplinary processes. We request our service providers to follow the same policy. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that data transmitted over the Internet will always be secure. As a result, although we strive to protect your Personal Information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit or we may learn as a result of your use of our Website and you do so at your own risk.

Your California Privacy Rights

Residents of the State of California, under the California Civil Code, have the right to request from companies conducting business in California, a list of all third parties to which the company has disclosed Personal Information during the preceding year for direct marketing purposes. Except with respect to the limited exceptions described above, we do not share your Personal Information with any third parties for direct marketing purposes.

If you are a California resident and request information about how to exercise your third party disclosure choices, you must send a request to the following address with a preference on how our response to your request should be sent (email or postal mail). Send an email to the Privacy Administrator at

privacy@calacademy.org or contact us via postal mail at:
California Academy of Sciences - Privacy Administrator
875 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Attn: Your California Privacy Rights

All requests sent via postal mail must be labeled "Your California Privacy Rights" on the envelope or post card and clearly stated on the actual request. For all requests, please include your name, street address, city, state, and zip code. (Your street address is optional if you wish to receive a response to your request via email. Please include your zip code for our own recordkeeping.) We will not accept requests via the telephone or by facsimile. We are not responsible for notices that are not labeled or sent properly, notices that are illegible or do not have complete information.

All Users

If any user of our Website or any Subscriber has any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Administrator at

privacy@calacademy.org or:
California Academy of Sciences - Privacy Administrator
875 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
This Privacy Policy was last modified on June 7, 2006.