California Academy of Sciences Reviews

I had a really great time visiting Cal Academy. It’s the kind of place where you think you’ll just pop in for a bit, and then suddenly you’ve spent hours looking at fish, wandering through the rainforest, checking out frogs, butterflies, snakes, and all the little exhibits in between. The aquarium was probably my favorite, but the rainforest was right up there too, especially with all the plants, birds, and cool little creatures everywhere. The staff were also super nice whenever we had questions, like where to go next or what something was. It was easy, fun, and didn’t feel rushed at all. I’d definitely go again

I’ve been using this site to look up science topics like animals, space, and nature, and it’s actually easy to get into without feeling like you’re reading a boring school textbook. The information is clear and useful once you land on the right page. The only downside is that a few pages took me longer to find than they should have, which feels avoidable. Still, it’s a nice resource for kids or adults who just want to understand things a bit better

I booked tickets on calacademy.org mostly because I really wanted to see the planetarium, and yeah, it ended up being the best part of our whole day, by a lot kind of. The website was simple enough to deal with, and I had the tickets on my phone without any weird problem happening.
The show was super cool, with comfy seats and that huge dome thing making it feel like we were just floating around in space, which sounds dramatic but also true. A staff member pointed us to the right entrance too, because apparently we were doing a little confused walking, so that helped. I’d definitely go again.

I mainly went for the aquarium and had a really good time. There were so many cool fish, the jellyfish were awesome to watch, and the big tank was definitely my favorite part. It did get busy while I was there, but it was still easy enough to enjoy everything. Did anyone else feel like it got crowded, or did I just go at a busy time? I’d definitely go again.

It was clean overall and I didn’t really have any big issues, the only thing I noticed was the bathroom got a little messy when it was busy, but other than that it was fine.

I had a really good visit to CalAcademy, planning things out on their site was easy. I was low-key excited to see that there seemed to be plenty of seating, because when you’re with kids or just doing a lot of walking, that makes such a difference.
Once we were inside, we found places to sit without much effort, both between exhibits and near the food areas. It never felt like we were wandering around searching forever, which made the whole day feel way more relaxed. Definitely a 5-star visit for me.

I visited the Cal Academy and was relieved that the signs were easy to follow, especially since I felt a little rushed trying to fit everything in. We found the planetarium, rainforest, and aquarium without wandering around too much, which was nice. A few of the busier areas could definitely use bigger or clearer signs, though, especially when crowds are blocking your view. The maps helped, but I did still have to ask a staff member for directions once. Overall, it was simple to navigate and definitely better than a lot of other museums I’ve been to.

The events were cool and I had a good time overall, but the lines were just way too long. Like, every time I wanted to do something, there was another long line. I get that popular events get busy, but the waiting really started to wear me down. Cool setup, cool activities, just wish the lines weren’t so long everywhere.

The museum itself was actually nice, and there were definitely some cool things to see. But the wait times kind of ruined the experience for us. We had tickets already and still waited forever just to get in, then once we were inside, there were more long lines for all the popular exhibits. It really felt like half our visit was spent just standing around. I don’t know, maybe they oversold the time slots or weren’t limiting entry enough, but for the price, they really need to figure out better crowd control.

We went on a weekday the crowd was totally manageable. There were a few areas with people hanging around, but we never felt packed in or like we had to hurry through anything. The lines moved fast too, which was nice because, anyway, it just made the whole aquarium visit a lot more relaxing. Really enjoyed the exhibits and I’d definitely go again.

Yum. The food was really tasty and I enjoyed it, but wow, it felt a bit expensive for what you get. Good overall, just not the cheapest option.

Went to the Cal Academy over the weekend and was happy with how easy the parking was. The nearby garage was simple to find and just a short walk to the entrance, which made the whole trip feel way less stressful. It was a little pricey, but that’s not too surprising for the city. Overall, convenient and definitely helped make the visit smoother. I’d give it 4 stars

We visited sometime last month, or maybe late the month before, I can’t remember exactly, but the staff were genuinely helpful everywhere we went. Anytime we needed something, they sorted it out without any fuss and made everything feel easy.

There were plenty of restrooms around , so I never had to wait long . Super convenient !

I went with my family, and my kids had such a good time. There was plenty for us to look at and do, but it never felt overwhelming or too busy. We ended up spending a few hours there without even realizing it. I’d definitely go back again.

I had a mostly good experience using calacademy.org. The pages loaded fine, the text was easy to read, and I didn’t have much trouble finding the visit info I needed. A few of the menus felt a little clunky on mobile, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Overall, it’s a good site and worked well for me.

Not to sound overly excited or anything, but this saves us money every single visit. We try to act casual about it, but it’s definitely one of those things we appreciate more and more each time...

I went on calacademy.org just to check ticket info and somehow that turned into me actually going last weekend, which I’m glad I did. The rainforest dome was such a nice surprise. It’s warm and humid in there, but not in a bad way, more like you suddenly stepped into this little tropical bubble with butterflies flying around and plants everywhere, and you kind of forget you’re still inside a museum. The only reason I’d give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that it got crowded, so stopping to take photos without feeling in the way was a little tricky. But overall, really cool experience and definitely one of the nicer parts of the museum...

The gift shop was okay, nothing too special. They had a decent selection, but there wasn’t much for adults, mostly stuff that felt more for kids.

I liked the place overall, but the layout was kind of confusing. I kept thinking I was headed the right way and then having to backtrack, which got frustrating after a while. It sort of made me second-guess the signage and directions the more I walked around...