Kelp as an ecosystem engineer. Scorpions as starlight navigators. Fire as a friend to forests. And humans helping build resilience across our state. Through hands-on interactives, multi-sensory displays, stunning specimens, and captivating media, find out how Academy research, Indigenous partnerships, and community science are restoring and regenerating California’s forests, urban habitats, coast, and deserts—and how you can get involved.
Watch the trailer for the exhibition and buy your tickets today!
California's forests inspire awe and engage our senses. Meet a mounted specimen of Monarch, one of California's last grizzly bears; marvel at a mammoth cross-section of a redwood tree; view virtual California condors via your smartphone; and see how Indigenous burning practices help spark forest resilience in the Sierras.
The Bay Area is famous for its vibrant cities and big ideas, but it's time to honor the contributions of our non-human neighbors. Follow the journey of a coyote specimen; trigger a wildlife camera trap; and get the scoop on urban wildlife poop. Wait…did you feel that? The Shake House is back! Keep your balance in a simulated 7.9-magnitude earthquake.
From rugged Del Norte to sun-splashed San Diego, California's marine and intertidal biodiversity nourishes its ecosystems as well as its Indigenous communities. Touch a real blue whale vertebra; explore skulls, skeletons, and models of species native to San Francisco Bay; and hear from Chumash and Ohlone culture bearers on their ties to the coast.
The Mojave Desert is a fierce but fragile ecosystem. Encounter the species that emerge during the transition from day to night, including new-to-science scorpions, burrowing owls, and kangaroo rats. Plus, learn about the latest efforts to research and regenerate the Mojave, from Academy researchers surveying insects to community scientists monitoring dark skies.
California: State of Nature is open daily. Find it on the main floor on the west side of the building, adjacent to Osher Rainforest.
We aim to regenerate biodiversity, build climate resilience, and advance equitable access to nature statewide.
Become an ocean chemistry expert in this exploration of the connection between sea, sky, and you. Daily, 2 pm.
Welcome to the Academy's hub for exploration, with books, games, specimens, and more. Open daily; hours vary.
Help Dr. Otter diagnose and restore the health of the California kelp forest. Daily, 12:30 pm.
Learn more about the Academy's community science program, and join an upcoming bioblitz or biodiversity survey.
