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California Academy of Sciences — Interactive Science Centers in San Ramon

California Academy of Sciences

4.6(5,484)4.6 out of 5 stars, 5484 reviews San Ramon, CA

About California Academy of Sciences

A world-class, low-stress indoor destination in Golden Gate Park that uniquely combines a living rainforest, a multi-level aquarium, a planetarium, and natural history exhibits under one stunning living roof. It offers an educational and highly diverse experience that can easily fill half a day or more.

What parents should know

Summarized from real visitor reviews.

Best for: Families seeking an educational and stress-free indoor day in San FranciscoParents looking to host playdates and make friends with other preschool/kindergarten familiesVisitors wanting to see diverse ecosystems (rainforest, swamp, ocean) in one stopToddlers under 3 (who get in for free)Preschool and Kindergarten children (excellent for social playdates)

Why families love it

  • Steinhart Aquarium with diverse marine life and the Philippine Coral Reef
  • The four-story Osher Rainforest dome
  • Morrison Planetarium and Tusher African Hall
  • The Swamp exhibit featuring Claude, the famous albino alligator
  • The Living Roof with beautiful views of Golden Gate Park
  • Dinosaur exhibits included in the standard admission price

Insider tips

  • Look out for 'Academy Day' promotional tickets for $5 or donation-based entry
  • Purchase a Family Plus membership to bring up to 4 adults and unlimited kids, perfect for hosting playdates
  • Avoid paid parking by parking for free across the baseball field and enjoying the scenic walk over
  • Allocate at least half a day (3 to 4 hours) to fully explore all the exhibits

Good to know before you go

  • Paying for parking when free street parking is available a short walk away across the baseball field
  • Expecting hands-on live animal petting experiences in the interactive zone
  • The interactive zone is limited to touching fossils, bones, and models rather than live animals
  • Fewer butterflies observed in the rainforest dome than on previous visits
  • One reviewer felt the exhibits do not warrant multiple repeat visits unless you have a membership
Crowds
Offers a low-stress, relaxed environment suitable for families
Value
Excellent value, especially with kids under 3 entering free. The Family Plus membership is highly economical for local families as it allows cardholders to bring guests for free. Special 'Academy Day' tickets offer entry for as low as $5 or donation.

What parents say

A S
5.05.0 out of 5 stars
"Love love loved the academy of sciences ever since I was a kid and I’m happy to share the experiences with my own little ones. Their dinosaur exhibit is totally worth it as there are some places just charging for dinosaurs. Aquariums are well kept and a great option if you like marine life and other animals. The rainforest still is well maintained but I didn’t notice as many butterflies on this trip as we saw previously. We were lucky to snag some tickets for their Academy Day which brought the price down to $5 per person or whatever you can donate and kids under 3 are free! Definitely wil"

2 weeks ago

Daniel
4.04.0 out of 5 stars
"Worth visiting once, but not something you’d return to multiple times. Well-maintained and good for spending half a day, though the interactive zone only includes fossils and bones. Full review: It’s worth checking out if you’ve never been, but it’s not the kind of place you’d want to visit two or three times. They advertise an “interactive zone,” but it mainly consists of touching fossils, bones, or models of dead creatures — not live animals. It’s more interesting than a basic petting zoo, but it still falls short compared to larger or more famous zoos. That said, the facility is well-ma"

2 weeks ago

Peter Bolton
5.05.0 out of 5 stars
"Best place in SF for: nature,museum, aquarium, no stress environment. Learn something new each time you go. You can spend hours here and still want to come back. Get yourself a family plus membership if you want to bring another family with you each time (kids are free). So 4 adults means your kid will be hosting a lot of free museum visits for others. This is good for people wanting to make friends in preschool and Kindergarten. Don’t pay for parking- walk across the baseball field and park for free. It’s a beautiful walk."

a month ago

Reviews sourced from public Google data.