941156258 · CA ↑ parent cluster ·
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CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

CA · EIN 941156258 · $95.2M rev · operational · research · www.calacademy.org
profile

California Academy of Sciences is a natural history museum and scientific research institution located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It operates under one living roof, combining an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum to engage the public in science and biodiversity. The Academy serves visitors of all ages through immersive exhibits, educational programs, and after-hours adult events.

activities · 33

what they do

direct service · 29
  • Deliver immersive planetarium experiences Public Observatory & Planetarium Programs
    Operates the Morrison Planetarium with multiple daily shows, including "Habitat Earth," cosmic origin explorations, asteroid and comet science, and observatory insights from Chile. Features narrated shows by Jodie Foster and educational content like the Tiny Chef series on environmental regeneration.
  • Offers VIP Tours with behind-the-scenes access to non-public areas and customizable birthday parties for children aged 4 to 12.
  • Offers customizable birthday parties for children aged 4 to 12 and other private event options, providing themed programming and access to Academy facilities for special occasions.
  • Host public educational programs and daily science activities Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Offers daily educational sessions including biologist-led talks on African penguins, diver presentations in the coral reef tank, hands-on science activities with real tools, and programs on ocean chemistry and environmental connections. Also hosts stingray observation sessions for relaxation and community engagement.
  • Host public educational programs and daily science activities Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Offers daily educational sessions including biologist-led talks on African penguins, diver presentations in the coral reef tank, hands-on science activities with real tools, and programs on ocean chemistry and environmental connections. Also hosts storytime programs emphasizing community and belonging among living things.
  • Host public educational programs and daily science experiences Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Offers daily educational sessions including African penguin talks, coral reef diver presentations, hands-on science activities with real tools, and programs on ocean chemistry. Also hosts storytime programs emphasizing connection to the natural world.
  • Host public events for adults and families Adult-Only Evening Museum Events
    Hosts weekly NightLife events for adults 21+ featuring live music, cocktails, and art-science activities, including VIP NightLife Plus options. Offers family sleepover programs such as Penguins+Pajamas Sleepovers, allowing guests to sleep near animal exhibits.
  • Host public events for adults and families Adult-Only Evening Museum Events
    Hosts weekly NightLife events for adults 21+ featuring live music, cocktails, and art-science activities, including VIP NightLife Plus options. Offers family sleepover programs such as Penguins+Pajamas, allowing guests to sleep near animal exhibits.
  • Host public events for adults and families Adult-Only Evening Museum Events
    Hosts weekly NightLife events for adults 21+ featuring live music, cocktails, and art-science activities, including VIP NightLife Plus options. Offers family sleepover programs such as Penguins+Pajamas Sleepovers, allowing guests to sleep next to animal exhibits.
  • Host public science programs and events for adults and families Adult-Only Evening Museum Events
    Offers weekly NightLife events for adults 21+ featuring live music, cocktails, and themed activities, as well as VIP access options through NightLife Plus. Also hosts family sleepover programs such as Penguins+Pajamas, allowing overnight stays with access to exhibits and special activities.
  • Host special exhibitions and community programs Art Collection Stewardship & Exhibition
    Organizes the annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition featuring 48 award-winning images and offers regular storytime programs that emphasize connection to the natural world and community belonging.
  • Host special exhibitions and community programs Art Collection Stewardship & Exhibition
    Hosts the annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition featuring 48 award-winning nature photographs. Offers storytime programs that emphasize belonging to a community of living things.
  • Host special exhibitions and public engagement programs Art Collection Stewardship & Exhibition
    Hosts the annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition featuring 48 award-winning nature photographs and other public engagement initiatives that connect art and science.
  • Offer admission options and visitor access programs Admission Access & Membership Programs
    Provides daytime admission tickets granting access to all exhibits and facilities, as well as Anytime Admission tickets valid for one year with skip-the-line access to key attractions. Maintains stair access to the Living Roof during elevator maintenance to ensure visitor access.
  • Offer behind-the-scenes and private experiences Children's Themed Birthday Parties with Educational Activities
    Provides VIP Tours with behind-the-scenes access to non-public areas of the Academy. Hosts customizable birthday parties for children aged 4 to 12.
  • Offer behind-the-scenes and special access tours
    Provides VIP Tours with behind-the-scenes access to non-public areas of the Academy and customizable birthday parties for children aged 4 to 12.
  • Offer group visit and admission programs
    Provides discounted admission and customized packages for groups of 10 or more, including corporate groups (with VIP tours, scavenger hunts, express entry, and dining discounts) and senior groups (with lunch or reserved planetarium seating). Offers pre-paid boxed lunches for groups of 10+.
  • Offer group visit packages and admission options
    Provides discounted admission and customized packages for groups of 10 or more, including senior groups, corporate teams, and large parties, with options for VIP tours, scavenger hunts, reserved planetarium seating, express entry, and pre-paid boxed lunches.
  • Operate and maintain living exhibits and animal habitats Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Hosts nearly 60,000 animal residents including African penguins and Methuselah, the world's oldest fish in human care. Maintains a 212,000-gallon living coral reef exhibit and the Reef Lagoon for stingray observation.
  • Operate and maintain living exhibits and animal habitats Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Hosts nearly 60,000 animal residents, including African penguins and Methuselah, the world's oldest fish in human care. Maintains a 212,000-gallon living coral reef exhibit and the Reef Lagoon for stingray observation.
  • Operate major exhibits and animal habitats Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Maintains and displays a 212,000-gallon living coral reef exhibit and hosts nearly 60,000 animal residents, including African penguins and Methuselah, the world's oldest fish in human care, providing public access to diverse ecosystems and conservation-focused exhibits.
  • Present immersive planetarium shows Public Observatory & Planetarium Programs
    Offers multiple planetarium experiences including shows narrated by Jodie Foster, themed around cosmic origins, asteroid science, Chilean observatory insights, and regenerative ecology, such as "Habitat Earth" and the Tiny Chef series, to educate visitors on life and the universe.
  • Present planetarium shows and immersive exhibitions Public Observatory & Planetarium Programs
    Offers multiple planetarium shows including "Habitat Earth," cosmic origin explorations, and narrated experiences by Jodie Foster, alongside the annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition featuring 48 award-winning images.
  • Present planetarium shows and immersive science experiences Public Observatory & Planetarium Programs
    Offers multiple planetarium shows including "Habitat Earth," cosmic origin explorations, asteroid and comet studies, and narrated experiences by Jodie Foster and Tiny Chef, all focusing on life, the universe, and environmental regeneration.
  • Provide daily educational experiences and live demonstrations Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal Encounters
    Hosts daily biologist-led penguin talks, diver presentations in the coral reef tank, hands-on science activities using real tools, and educational programs on ocean chemistry and environmental connections, all designed to engage visitors with living systems and scientific inquiry.
  • Provide flexible public admission and behind-the-scenes access Admission Access & Membership Programs
    Offers single-day and Anytime Admission tickets valid for one year with skip-the-line access to major attractions, as well as VIP Tours that grant behind-the-scenes access to non-public areas of the Academy.
  • Provide group visit and admission programs
    Offers discounted admission and customized packages for groups, including corporate groups (with VIP tours, scavenger hunts, express entry, and dining discounts), senior groups (with lunch or planetarium seating), and groups of 21+ with pre-paid bookings. Also provides pre-paid boxed lunch options for groups of 10 or more.
  • Provide group visit and admission programs
    Offers discounted admission and customized packages for groups including corporate groups, senior groups, and parties of 21 or more, with options for VIP tours, scavenger hunts, express entry, reserved planetarium seating, and pre-paid boxed lunches.
  • Provide public access through admission and membership options Admission Access & Membership Programs
    Offers daytime admission tickets granting access to all exhibits and facilities, as well as Anytime Admission tickets valid for one year with skip-the-line access. Provides membership programs that support science and regeneration initiatives while enabling public access.
research · 4
  • Conduct global science and regeneration initiatives Scientific Research & Regeneration Initiatives
    Leads research and collaborative programs aimed at regenerating the natural world, supporting groundbreaking science and conservation efforts worldwide through institutional membership and scientific partnerships.
  • Conduct scientific research and global regeneration initiatives Scientific Research & Regeneration Initiatives
    Conducts science, learning, and collaboration initiatives aimed at regenerating the natural world and supports groundbreaking scientific and regeneration efforts globally through membership programs.
  • Conduct scientific research and global regeneration initiatives Scientific Research & Regeneration Initiatives
    Conducts science, learning, and collaboration initiatives aimed at regenerating the natural world. Supports groundbreaking scientific research and global regeneration efforts through institutional programs and partnerships.
  • Conduct scientific research and global regeneration initiatives Scientific Research & Regeneration Initiatives
    Conducts science and collaboration initiatives aimed at regenerating the natural world, supporting groundbreaking research and global regeneration efforts.
strategies · 30

how they think

Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.

named programs · 9

what they call their work

BigPicture: Natural World Photography
Annual exhibition in the Piazza featuring award-winning nature photography from around the world.
Kimball Natural History Museum
Exhibits featuring African dioramas and displays exploring the past, present, and future of life on Earth.
Morrison Planetarium
One of the largest all-digital planetarium domes in the world, offering immersive daily shows about the universe with reserved seating.
NightLife
Weekly evening event for adults 21+ featuring live music, cocktails, science activities, and access to all exhibits.
Osher Rainforest
A four-story glass-domed rainforest housing free-flying birds and butterflies, enormous Amazonian fish, and diverse insect, amphibian, and reptile species.
Penguins+Pajamas Sleepovers
Overnight family sleepover program allowing guests to sleep near exhibits and engage in special after-hours activities.
Steinhart Aquarium
One of the most advanced and biodiverse aquariums in the world, home to over 1,000 animal species including a 212,000-gallon living Philippine coral reef exhibit and twilight zone deep-sea habitats.
VIP Tours
Behind-the-scenes tours of research collections, private gem vault, and Living Roof, including access to non-public areas and expert guides.
We All Belong Storytime
Children's program emphasizing community and connection to the natural world through storytelling
relationships · 7

who they work with

  • American Association of Zoos & Aquariums Government — Accredited by the American Association of Zoos & Aquariums
  • Big Bus Tours Partner — Partner offering combined sightseeing and Academy admission deals.
  • Big Bus Tours Partner — Sightseeing tour partner offering special offers on city tours and Academy admission
  • CityPASS Partner — Partner organization offering bundled admission to the Academy and other top San Francisco attractions.
  • CityPASS Partner — Partners with CityPASS to offer bundled admission with three other top San Francisco attractions.
  • Go City San Francisco Explorer Pass Partner — Partner program providing discounted admission to the Academy and 25 other San Francisco attractions.
  • Google Partner — Uses Google Forms for corporate group and senior admission inquiries.