I’ve been planning on visiting California Academy of Science since it’s re-opening on September 27th, 2008 and now it’s already 2010. It’s amazing how time flies! But I think this year I’ll have to put the extra effort and mark my calendar.

I’m planning on September 25th. As this will be the 6th annual FREE museum day sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine and Toyota Avalon.

Regular admission is pricey (and it’s gone up since the 2008 opening). So this is a great chance for people to visit for free.

The Academy is one of the most memorable Bay Area attractions, and is a great place to bring friends and family.

General Admission
Adult $29.95
Senior (ages 65 and over) $24.95
Student $24.95
Youth (ages 12-17) $24.95
Child (ages 4-11) $19.95
Ages 3 and under FREE

Before you can get in, you’ll have to go to the Smithsonian website and fill out a form to download your free ticket. It is valid for two people and one ticket per household.

I am looking forward to seeing some of the animals of the Rainforest.

A bananaquit bird (Coereba flaveola) taking a break from her parental duties to take a sip of nectar. Photo by Rachael Tom.

Here is more info from CSA:

The rainforest is teeming with 1,600 live animals - including 250 free-flying birds and butterflies, 100 exotic reptiles and amphibians, and a cave full of bats. There’s also 100,000 gallon “Flooded Forest” tank, where hundreds of tropical freshwater fish cruise overhead.

Each level represents a different rainforest around the world - Borneo, Madagascar, Costa Rica and the Amazon. Each level represents a distinct rainforest habitat containing its own special zoological garden.

Eighty skylights in the roof, supplemented with metal halide lights, enable the growth of lush, tropical plants found in various rainforests around the world.”

Living plants include numerous trees - such as the Brazilian beautyleaf and West Indies mahogany, dozens of shrubs - including Theobrama cacao, the plant from which chocolate is made, and hundreds of flowering plants - from begonias and philodendrons to orchids and bromeliads.”

Well I think the living plant collection is all the convincing I need. I do hope to get there early and beat the crowd. And the San Francisco Botanical Garden is just a couple of steps away. So that would be a nice addition.

Female paradise bird. Such an interesting hairpiece! Photo by Rachael Tom.

Check out Smithsonian for free museum participating in your area.