San Francisco’s Top 10 : Golden Gate Park (part 2) – California Academy of Sciences

Swamp

Part
of the Steinhart Aquarium, the Swamp is home to alligators and
alligator snapping turtles. There are also exhibits on rattlesnakes,
frogs, and salamanders. Find out about the swamps of the Southeast US in
the Story Time area.

Discovery Tidepool

Stroke
a starfish, get cozy with hermit crabs, or pick up a sea slug in this
hands-on, hands-wet attraction, part of the California Coast exhibits.
The pool is staffed by volunteers who will tell you what you’re handling
and keep the animals safe, too. Hours vary, since the creatures get a
much deserved time-out from time to time.

Coral Reef

This
is the deepest living coral reef display in the world, exhibiting a
range of aquatic life from the coral reefs and mangroves of the
Philippines. Corals, sharks, rays, sea turtles and reef fishes can be
viewed from the surface, and close-up through underwater windows and a
glass bridge.

The Water Planet

Over
100 tanks and a range of interactive media are used to inform all ages
of what it takes to survive under water. A variety of fish, reptiles,
amphibians and insects are on display.

Rainforests of the World

Visitors can experience four diverse rainforest environments in a vast
glass dome: the Amazonian Flooded Forest, the Borneo Forest Floor, the
Madagascar Rainforest Understory, and the Costa Rica Rainforest Canopy.
This includes a diverse range of creatures: piranhas, flying lizards,
poison-dart frogs, parrots, geckos, chameleons, and butterflies.

California Coast

Explore
habitats from salt marshes to turbulent rocky inlets and meet a variety
of native birds, fish, and invertebrates. The main tank – an exhibit
featuring the marine habitats of the Gulf of the Farollones National
Marine Sanctuary – is 100,000 gallons in capacity, with large viewing
windows, and a crashing wave surge system.

African Hall

Magnificent
dioramas show a range of African fauna, such as cheetahs, rhinos,
lions, giraffes, and the straight-horned Oryx, in their natural
surroundings. The exhibit ends with a fine colony of African penguins,
which can be viewed through a vast window.

Penguin Feeding Time

The
nine pairs of black-footed penguins located in Africa Hall are fed
twice daily, and it’s always a spectacle that the whole family enjoys.
Penguins may waddle on land, but their grace is evident when you observe
them dive and glide effortlessly through the water to catch their meal.

Morrison Planetarium

Embark
on a guided tour of the universe. The night skies never looked more
real, and you can travel to the very limits of the known universe with
state-of-the-art exhibits and digital technology. Shows are presented on
a daily basis.

The Living Roof

The
museum is topped with a 2.5-acre living roof, planted with over 1.7
million native Californian plants. Take an elevator up to the rooftop
deck to enjoy the views and learn about the benefits of sustainable
architecture.