Plan a Visit
Welcome to the Academy – the only place on the planet with an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and a 4-story rainforest all under one roof. It’s a stunning architectural achievement with hundreds of unique exhibits and nearly 40,000 live animals.
General Admission
Admission to the California Academy of Sciences includes access to all museum and aquarium exhibits, including the rainforest, planetarium, and living roof. Admission to this popular Bay Area attraction includes a wide range of daily programs and activities, including dive shows, penguin feedings, swamp talks and more. It's fun for the whole family!
Museum Tickets
The Academy is one of the most memorable Bay Area attractions, and is a great place to bring friends and family.
| General Admission | Buy Tickets |
| Adult | $29.95 |
| Senior (ages 65 and over) | $24.95 |
| Student | $24.95 |
| Youth (ages 12-17) | $24.95 |
| Child (ages 4-11) | $19.95 |
| Ages 3 and under | FREE |
| Specialty Tickets | |
|---|---|
| Platinum Tour Details | $99 / person |
| Group Tours Details | |
| NightLife Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Adult (21 and over) | $12 |
| Member (21 and over) | $10 |
| NightLife VIP Tour Details | $59 |
* Please note: During peak periods, including some holiday weekends, the Academy may be open for extended hours and an admission surcharge may be added to ticket purchases at the door. The admission surcharge will not apply to visitors who plan ahead and purchase tickets online. Click here for upcoming peak period days.
A $5 surcharge will apply for each ticket purchased on site during the following peak period days:
• November 26 through November 28, 2010
• December 26, 2010 through January 2, 2011
The Academy will offer extended hours on these days, remaining open until 6:00 pm.
The Planetarium is very popular and tickets are handed out on a first come first serve basis due to limited seating. Visit the cart at the planetarium theater to pickup a show pass. The show is not appropriate for kids 6 and under, and that children 3 and under are not permitted.
Passes are not required for the Extreme Mammals special exhibit; the exhibit is available on a walk-up basis. This exhibit is appropriate for all ages.
Directions & Parking
The Academy is a popular Bay Area attraction, and strongly encourages visitors to bike or travel by public transportation, especially on weekends. Museum visitors who take public transit will save $3 on admission and skip the hassle of parking.
For those of you who are driving, please note that parking is available in the Music Concourse Parking Facility, and the museum entrance can be accessed via the garage elevator. The facility includes 15 conveniently located parking spots that are wheelchair accessible. For complete parking information, including maps
For a real time parking garage capacity report, visit m.calacademy.org on your cell phone. In the event that the primary garage is full, the mobile site provides directions to two additional parking locations.
Museum Free Days
Visit San Francisco's greenest museum for free, every Third Wednesday of the month.
Brought to you by The Bernard Osher Foundation.
San Francisco Free Days
Free museum admission is available for San Francisco residents, and is dependent on your ZIP code. To find your neighborhood’s free day, click on one of the schedules below:
2010 San Francisco Neighborhood Free Day Schedule
2011 San Francisco Neighborhood Free Day Schedule
Check Out SF
Now through December 31, 2010, families can visit any San Francisco Public Library and check out a Family Pass for free admission to the Academy for 1 to 2 adults accompanied by 1 to 4 children. Click here for details.
Museum Day, September 25, 2010
The Academy is a proud participant of Smithsonian magazine’s 6th annual Museum Day 2010. Free museum admission is available to visitors who provide a printed Museum Day ticket. For more information and to print a ticket click here. Please note that a printed Museum Day ticket is required for free admission.
Accessibility
The Academy provides a wide variety of services to individuals with disabilities.
- Wheelchairs are available at the Coat Check on a first come, first served basis.
- Accessible parking is available in the underground garage.
- Assistive listening devices are available for visitors who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
- Service animals are the only animals the public is allowed to bring into the museum. Read the Academy's service animal policy
Museum Hours |
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Monday - Saturday
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Academy is open
until 6:00 pm from
Sat 9/4 - Mon 9/6
Tickets can be purchased up to an hour before closing.
The Academy is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Location |
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55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 379-8000
Plan Your Expedition |
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Plan your museum expedition through the planetarium, aquarium and rainforest dome using our interactive exhibit map.
Members-only Hours |
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Tuesdays: 8:30 am - 9:30 am
Sundays: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Members may bring ticketed guests during members-only hours. All guests must have a paid admission ticket and be accompanied by a current member.
Academy Sleepovers |
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Camp out for a night at the Academy and see the museum in a whole new light with our new sleepover package.
NightLife |
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When the lights go down, the fun begins. Every Thursday, the Academy opens its doors to adults from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Attendees can explore San Francisco's greenest museum while enjoying world-class music, talks, and activities. First time visitors shouldn't miss the planetarium show! Food and cocktails are available for purchase.
Academy TV Spots |
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Dining Reservations |
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The Moss Room accepts lunch and dinner reservations. Museum admissions is no longer required to dine at The Moss Room. Please visit www.themossroom.com or call (415) 876-6121 for reservations and more information.
