California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
Up early and to Golden Gate Park to visit the newly opened California Academy of Sciences. This is an top class design by Renzo Piano and well worth the rather pricey entrance fees ($25 adult ; $20 seniors). There is a planetarium, aquarium and enclosed ‘rainforest’. There is a great deal of space so even though the place had a lot visitors it did not feel crowded. The only exception was on the visit to the Planetarium where you are crowded into a dark cramped space before being admitted to the theatre. I think they are trying to create a sense of anticipation but due to the fact that any idea of a queue is lost, the space cramped and the oxygen level low, this was a most unpleasant experience which caused unnecessary levels of tension and anxiety in the audience. My advice is to get a ticket but do not join the queue early .. all seats in the theatre are good. If you enter last and sit at the top you will be close to the exits when the show is over.
An unexpected fun event was the 'Bug Show' a 30 minute film about insects. Not for the squeamish because beettles are crunching ants (if you are an ant lover, don't go). A caterpillar becomes a butterfly but the best part of all is that we were wearing 3 D glasses (that takes me back to the 1950s at the Fisher Theater in Danville) so the butterflies appeared to be flying in the space between the audience and the screen. I loved it!
An unusual feature is the Living Roof, two and one half acres planted with native California plants, complete with hills dotted with skylights and photovoltaic cells which light the coral reef deep in the building. This claims to be the world's greenest museum ; their website gives all the details but I like the idea that good architecture is more than a unusual shape or profile. This seems to be an excellent example of total design.
To link to the Photo Gallery, click here.
The fine print
Date of travel : 6 October 2008
Website : http://www.calacademy.org/