1 / 2California Academy of Sciences
📍 Golden Gate Park, CA
The California Academy of Sciences houses the Steinhart Aquarium, a four-story Osher Rainforest dome with free-flying butterflies, the Morrison Planetarium, and natural history exhibits—all inside Golden Gate Park.
Expensive but fun and informative! Especially the aquarium is very cool. Not crowded at all during off peak time / season.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for school-age kids and curious families who can spend 3–4 hours working through all four attractions. Toddlers engage well with the aquarium touch pools and rainforest animals. The planetarium show has age minimums for some programs—check the daily schedule. Thursday NightLife events are strictly 21+.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →5,941 Google reviews
Fab S
“Expensive but fun and informative! Especially the aquarium is very cool. Not crowded at all during off peak time / season.”
Diana
“Had the most amazing experience”
Vinnz Zee
“Great rain forest butterfly exhibit. Bring your EBT card it’s $5 up to four tickets per visit. The aquatic section was very nice”
Jan Gillanders
“Fabulous aquarium, planitarium, rainforest dome, rooftop garden. Excellent for all ages.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
The Academy packs four world-class attractions into one building: Steinhart Aquarium features a 212,000-gallon Philippine Coral Reef tank among dozens of other exhibits; the Osher Rainforest is a glass dome with live tropical animals and free-flying butterflies across four levels; Morrison Planetarium projects onto the world's largest all-digital dome; and the natural history galleries span biodiversity and Earth science. The living roof supports native plants and birds.
