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California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park
After $500 million and nearly ten years of remodeling, the California Academy of Sciences reopened last September and immediately became the hottest ticket in town with mile-long lines of people waiting to get in. The 'Smithsonian of the West' is one of the ten largest museums of natural history in the world and now features a four-story rainforest and the world's largest all-digital planetarium, 75 feet wide.
The new ecologically-conscious building was constructed using 90% recyclable materials. The Academy is powered by 60,000 solar cells but features natural lighting in 90% of its occupied space. It also uses recycled water captured from the 2.5-acre Living Roof, which holds 1.2 million native plants. Everything follows a green, sustainable plan from the recycled denim jeans used for the wall insulation to the policy of no plastic water bottles sold at the museum's cafe.
The Academy dates back to 1853 with its first official museum opened in 1874 at the corner of California and Grant. While a lot of the museum is new, many of the old favorite attractions remain, such as the albino alligator, the Foucault pendulum, the playful penguins, the completely redesigned Steinhart Aquarium, and the charmingly retro Africa Hall.
I've purposely tried not to show too much of the exhibits to encourage you to attend for yourself.
MORE ACADEMY PHOTOS
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2 Comments:
Well, I've already been there, but now I'm inspired to go back for another look around.
I was there the first Monday after they had opened. I bought my ticket on-line so I was able to zip right in at opening time with hardly no waiting.
My first visit was about 48 years ago, but the Foucault pendulum captured my attention on this visit just as strongly as it did in my youth. And of course, the stuffed African animals are still a delight.
The penguins were a real treat... (So was the pretty young woman who was feeding and playing with them)
I took photos at the Academy of Sciences twice and I came nowhere near getting the shots you did and I probably never will in the next 100 visits. I am so impressed.
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