California Academy of Science

On Sunday the girls, Dad, Nancy, Alex and I went to the NEW! And IMPROVED! California Academy of Science in San Francisco. Our first successful trip since it reopened in September last year. I say successful, because Laura & the girls and I were turned away the week after Christmas because they were sold out! It’s an extremely popular place. We vowed not to come on a weekend or holiday again, but since Dad & Grandma Nancy offered to take us for the girls birthday, we decided to take our chances and brave it on a Sunday anyway. The crowds were very large, as expected, but we got in (thanks to pre-purchased tickets). And we only got a parking space because we arrived 30 minutes before the museum even opened. Laura didn’t feel well and stayed home, and probably would have felt worse in the tight crowds. At times we felt a bit like, well, sardines.


It was truly amazing though; thanks Dad & Grandma Nancy for taking us!
The new aquarium exhibits were spectacular and huge.



The 3 story rainforest exhibit was amazing too, and none of these photos do it justice.

That big fish there…is at least 3 feet long. 

The whole rainforest is covered in these skylights.

Here’s a particularly fine photo:
That butterfly is bigger than my hand. Or Sophie's head. Practically. Well, almost.



















Another finely composed and focused shot, don't you think? Yes, that poison dart frog is so easy to see, isn't it? Unlike the butterfly, this frog was smaller than...well, smaller than most butterflies.

Touring just the rainforest takes at least 30 minutes, and it’s probably at least 85-90 degrees inside and, as you would imagine, incredibly humid. Of course it was 40 degrees outside where we waited in line before the museum opened, so we were a little overdressed for rainforest weather and started to wilt by the end of it. As demonstrated here:

And yes, that is an official seven-year-old eye roll by Zoe. ENOUGH with the pictures Mama! I’m melting!!

All in all, a terrific Sunday; I look forward to going back to the museum many more times!