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The California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park lets you enjoy an aquarium, a planetarium, a rainforest and natural history exhibits all in one place. However, “it’s for kids” does not necessarily mean everyone can take part in every exhibit. Checking age requirements and entry times first makes it easier to plan your day once you are inside.
Recent changes: The museum has announced that it will be closed all day on October 21, 2026, and will close at 3 p.m. on October 24. Don’t look only at the regular hours by day of the week; check the special notices for the day you visit.
Distinguish general admission from evening events
| Category | Regular official information |
|---|---|
| General hours, Monday–Saturday | 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 4 p.m. |
| General hours, Sunday | 11 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 4 p.m. |
| NightLife | Most Thursdays, 6–10 p.m., ages 21+, ID required |
| Address | 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118 |
Thursday-night NightLife is not a substitute for family-friendly daytime admission. Don’t read general tickets, member early-access hours and evening events as if they were the same thing.
Children under 4 cannot enter the planetarium
The museum explains that children under 4 are not admitted to Morrison Planetarium, and that the content may not be suitable for children under 7. Shows require reservations. The museum advises securing a time slot via the QR code in the lobby when you arrive, so check the method for that day on site.
If siblings fall into different age groups, discuss in advance who will watch the show and who will stay at another exhibit. If staying together as a whole family is your priority, you can also choose a plan centered on the aquarium and similar exhibits. It is easier to adjust if you don’t pack later reservations tightly on the assumption that you will get planetarium seats.
The rainforest stops admitting visitors before the rest of the museum
Daytime last entry for the Osher Rainforest is usually 4:30 p.m., and the exhibit closes at 4:45 p.m. Separate opening times are listed: from 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. on Sunday. If you put it off until late afternoon because the museum is open until 5 p.m., you may miss entry to an exhibit you want to see.
Our editors’ suggested order is to check the planetarium slot and the rainforest times after arriving, then fill the time in between with the aquarium and natural history exhibits. This is not a route that guarantees reservations. If you are with small children, decide where and when to take breaks first; there is no need to insist on seeing everything in one day.
Check prices by visit date and age
The museum lists regular-season and peak-season prices for the general adult, youth and child categories. Children 2 and under are listed as free. Prices vary by visit date and ticket type, so rather than stating a single fixed adult price here, we recommend checking on the purchase screen after entering the number of people and their ages.
There are also other ticket types such as Anytime Admission, so compare not just date flexibility but also the included benefits and the validity period. If you find a discount ticket, check the terms of use for your preferred date and which facilities it covers.
Besides the official website, the ticket booking site Tiqets also sells admission tickets (See California Academy of Sciences tickets on Tiqets, PR). Compare prices, what is included and cancellation terms with the official site on the purchase screen before choosing.
Visiting the Japanese Tea Garden on the same day?
Both are options in and around Golden Gate Park, but once you add the Academy’s timed entries and exhibit experiences, your schedule fills up more than you might expect. Whether to add the garden as a short walk or save it for another day depends on your companions’ energy and the available reservation slots.
Rather than locking in outdoors in the morning and indoors in the afternoon, adjust the order based on the actual opening hours and the weather. Even if you choose it as an indoor destination on a rainy day, you will still have to walk from the parking lot or transit stop. Before you leave, check the closures section of Hours & Admission; on the day, follow the admission information inside the museum.
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Official information and sources
Information checked: October 15, 2026. Hours, prices and terms of use may change. Please check the official information as of the day you visit or buy.
- California Academy of Sciences: Plan your visit
- California Academy of Sciences: Hours, admission and closures
This article is also available in Japanese.
Featured photo: Buzzlovestravel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0, taken in 2019. Used with a title band added; the modified image is shared under the same license).
