San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is legendary, and for good reason. Enjoy miles of tree lined paths, nine lakes, contemporary American art at the fabulous de Young Museum, and a serene Japanese Tea Garden. And plan a full

day at the Park’s California Academy of Sciences, a unique museum with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and a 2.5-acre roof, alive with native California plants.

Encounter adorable African penguins, fly through the Universe in the world’s largest digital planetarium, go on safari in African Hall, and get up close with anacondas and Amazon fish in a living rainforest. The Academy’s focus is celebrating life and protecting our precious Planet.

Philippine Reef

Every morning, one of the largest coral reefs in the world becomes a vibrant rainbow of colorful fish, purple anemones and stealthy sharks. Kids and their parents watch magenta starfish, and garden eels undulating from underwater burrows. I’m watching my favorite creatures, “Hippocampus Reidi,” Brazilian sea horses. Their fluttering fins propel delicate gold bodies across their tank. A row of miniature tanks showcases favorite creatures chosen by CAS Scientists. Biologist Jim Evans loves red crystal shrimp the size of a fingernail. Ken Howell invites kids to peer into a dark Amazon river to find the cleverly camouflaged South American leaf fish. (Hint, the fish looks exactly like a waterlogged leaf.)

Before you leave this diverse aquatic ecosystem, check out the Brazilian salmon pink birdeater: a ten-inch long

hairy tarantula, guaranteed to star in your next nightmare.

The Rainforest

The California Academy of Sciences is designed to bring Mother Nature inside. 100 staff scientists travel the world

on research expeditions, returning with a myriad of plants, flowers, and live jungle animals. In the Rainforest exhibit, you enter an 88-degree, four story glass dome and walk up the spiral pathway. Shrieking macaws pierce the sweet moist air.

Leafcutter ants march along branches, poison dart frogs hide inside bromeliads. Morpho butterflies kiss your cheek, emerald hummingbirds buzz your nose. An 82 pound 12 foot long anaconda lives here, can you find it?

Displays invite us to contemplate the importance of this jungle universe: “Why protect the rainforest? Deforestation and global climate change may destroy nearly 60% of Amazon rainforests by 2030. The Amazon plays vital roles in recycling fresh water, providing oxygen, storing carbon and cooling global temperatures.”

Adventures in Design

Designed by award winning architect Renzo Piano, the CAS is the world’s greenest museum, setting new standards for sustainable architecture. Supported by recycled steel, insulated with recycled blue jeans, powered in part by solar panels, topped by a living roof, the building is the epitome of energy efficient design. The 488 million dollar Academy is alive with fresh air, sunshine and 38,000 creatures. Examine Darwin’s famous Galapagos island finches. Say hello to Claude, a nine-foot long albino American alligator. Watch African penguins gobble herring snacks. Learn how planets and stars in faraway galaxies are born. Fall in love with pink parrotfish, golden sea horses, neon frogs and green macaws. One day at this over the top Museum and everyone will be informed and inspired.