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As any visitor to San Francisco knows, Golden Gate Park is magical. Where else can you find a Dutch windmill, a world-class art museum, and a herd of bison all within 1½ miles?
But the park's latest attraction is hard to top: the new California Academy of Sciences — an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and research institution all under one spectacular living roof.
Architect Renzo Piano had to find homes for the Academy's 20 million scientific specimens, 30 PhD scientists, and all manner of plants, animals, and marine life — and for exhibits ranging from a colony of African penguins to the world's deepest living coral-reef display. The result is a building that beguiles visitors and sets a new standard for sustainable architecture.
SEE THE ACADEMY
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photo by thomas Broening | LIVING ROOF Architect Renzo Piano's undulating roof features 1.7 million plants and 7 dramatic hills that roll over the Academy's exhibits. |
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photo by Thomas Broening | AFRICAN HALL DIORAMA The African Hall is the only one from the original Academy building to be re-created. Twelve dioramas — like this one, being checked out by chairman of entomology Brian Fisher (with curator of herpetology Robert Drewes in the enlarged image) — are exact replicas of the originals, which dated back to 1934. These include olive baboons, lions, cheetahs, and sable antelope. |
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photo by Thomas Broening | IN THE PARK The Academy's new home is expected to be the world's largest public LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum building. An innovative solar canopy will generate up to 10 percent of its energy; portholes let natural sunlight into the exhibits and also open and close for ventilation. |
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photo by Thomas Broening | CORAL REEF It's hard to pull yourself away from the mesmerizing Philippine Coral Reef tank. At 12,000 square feet, it's the second-largest living coral-reef display in the world, and it features a broad range of aquatic life from one of the most diverse reef systems on Earth, including stingrays, zebra sharks, and 2,000 fish. |
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photo by Thomas Broening | SEAHORSE RAILING adults who grew up in San Francisco will remember the bronze seahorse railing from visits to the Academy in their youth. Today, everyone will appreciate its function as a barrier to the creatures residing in the Swamp below: snapping turtles and American alligators (including an eye-catching albino). |
GETTING THERE The California Academy of Sciences ($25, $20 ages 12–17, $15 ages 7–11; 415/379-8000) is scheduled to reopen September 27. It's located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, across from the de Young Museum. An underground parking garage is just north of the building, but arrive by Muni (the 44 bus stops out front) or the N-Judah streetcar and you'll receive a $3 admission discount.
EAT
Two well-known San Francisco "chefs in residence" — Charles Phan of the Slanted Door and Loretta Keller of Bizou and Coco500 — have planned the menus for the Academy's two dining spots: the casual Academy Café (open during Academy hours) and the full-service Moss Room (open for lunch and also for dinner after the Academy closes).
A three-minute walk away, the Inner Sunset neighborhood has other tasty options. These include Ebisu ($$; closed Sun; 1283 Ninth Ave.; 415/566-1770), one of S.F.'s best sushi spots; across the street, its sister restaurant, Hotei ($; closed Tue; 1290 Ninth Ave.; 415/753-6045), specializes in noodle dishes. Café Gratitude ($$; 1336 Ninth Ave.; 415/824-4652) offers local, organic, and vegan cuisine. And Park Chow ($; 1240 Ninth Ave.; 415/665-9912) is good for families, with a menu that ranges from pizza to short ribs to wontons.
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