California Academy of Sciences

What California Academy of Sciences does

The California Academy of Sciences is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit scientific institution founded in 1853 and headquartered at 55 Music Concourse Drive in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It operates an integrated museum complex combining the Steinhart Aquarium (including a 25,000-gallon African penguin exhibit, a 75-foot all-digital Morrison Planetarium, the four-story Osher Rainforest, the Kimball Natural History Museum, Tusher African Hall, and a LEED Double Platinum–certified 2.5-acre living roof housing 1.7 million plants). The institution serves the general public, K-12 students and educators, children and families, adults attending 21+ NightLife events, corporate event clients, and the scientific community.

Its revenue model is diversified across five streams: ticket admissions and capacity-limited planetarium shows, individual memberships starting at $99 per year, charitable donations and grants enabled by 501(c)(3) status, corporate and private event rentals, and a Pocket Penguins mobile application for live webcam streaming. Distribution is anchored at a single San Francisco physical site but extends globally through Distance Learning webinars to U.S. classrooms, licensed planetarium films distributed to partner institutions worldwide (e.g., Big Astronomy), live webcams, and the Pocket Penguins app on iOS, Android, and Apple TV.

Beyond visitor experiences, the Academy conducts original scientific research (e.g., Senior Curator Terry Gosliner has described 474 nudibranch species across 70+ expeditions) and operates a Center for Biodiversity and Community Science running iNaturalist-based programs including Sea Slug Search, City Nature Challenge, Snapshot Cal Coast, and Solstice Sea Star Search. It participates in the AZA African penguin Species Survival Plan with 53 zoos and scientific institutions, partners internationally (Mizoram University, Max Planck Institute), and applies AI-enabled tools such as the WhaleSpotter thermal-detection system to address ship strikes on gray whales in San Francisco Bay.

Name

California Academy of Sciences

Legal name

California Academy of Sciences

Website

https://calacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1853

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The California Academy of Sciences is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1853 that operates an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, serving visitors, K-12 students, educators, researchers, and corporate clients through admissions, memberships, donations, educational programs, and global community science initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum and Science Center

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Science education
• Public aquarium
• Planetarium shows
• Citizen science

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Visitors purchase tickets to access the museum's exhibits, aquarium, planetarium, and special exhibitions. Pricing varies by day and visitor type.
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships starting at $99 provide unlimited free visits, member-only hours, and discounts on programs. Members support research, education, and access initiatives.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that accepts donations to support science, learning, and collaboration initiatives.
4. Event Rentals and Corporate Engagement: Corporate events, private rentals, birthday parties, and special programs generate additional revenue.
5. Pocket Penguins App: Mobile app for streaming live penguin webcams, available on iPhone, Android, and Apple TV.
6. Planetarium Films: Special planetarium shows like Tiny Chef, Big Impact are included with admission but capacity-limited, driving visitor attendance and engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The California Academy of Sciences operates a unified science museum complex in Golden Gate Park that combines the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Osher Rainforest, and Kimball Natural History Museum under a single 2.5-acre living roof. It sells admission tickets, memberships, educational programs, community science initiatives, and event rentals to general visitors, families, K-12 students, and corporate clients while conducting biodiversity research and conservation programs supported by donations and grants.

Product overview

The California Academy of Sciences operates as a unified science museum complex combining multiple exhibits and programs under one living roof. The core product portfolio centers on four main exhibits: Steinhart Aquarium (housing the African penguin colony and marine species), Osher Rainforest (4-story glass dome rainforest), Morrison Planetarium (75-foot digital dome), and Kimball Natural History Museum. Supporting exhibits include Tusher African Hall, Water Planet, Gems and Minerals Unearthed, and temporary exhibits like Vivid: Immerse Your Senses and Tiny Chef Big Impact. The institution offers live digital products including Penguin Cams, Philippine Coral Reef Cam, and the Pocket Penguins mobile app. Its Center for Biodiversity and Community Science manages community science programs (City Nature Challenge, Snapshot Cal Coast, Solstice Sea Star Search, Sea Slug Search, Bioblitzes) using iNaturalist. Educational offerings include Distance Learning webinars, Science @ Home activity packs, and the Nature Lab interactive space. Events include NightLife (21+ evenings), Birthday Parties, and Sleepovers. The institution holds LEED Double Platinum certification for its green building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Steinhart Aquarium: The aquarium housing diverse marine life including African penguins, coral reefs, and aquatic exhibits.
• Morrison Planetarium
• Osher Rainforest
• Kimball Natural History Museum
• NightLife
• Pocket Penguins

Products and services

• Steinhart Aquarium Major aquarium exhibit at the Academy featuring diverse aquatic life including the African penguin colony, coral reefs, marine species, and specialized tanks with seasonal water temperature controls. Targeted at general public visitors, families, and school groups.
• Osher Rainforest Four-story glass dome exhibit housing a living rainforest with free-flying butterflies, birds, and giant Amazonian fish, providing visitors with an immersive tropical ecosystem experience.
• Morrison Planetarium 75-foot all-digital planetarium dome offering immersive planetarium shows such as Big Astronomy and Tiny Chef Big Impact, used for astronomy education, science visualization, and partner-institution film distribution.
• Kimball Natural History Museum Natural history museum exhibit presenting hands-on displays, Academy specimens, and research-driven content on evolution, biodiversity, and earth sciences for general public and educational audiences.
• Pocket Penguins Mobile App Mobile app available on iPhone, Android, and Apple TV that streams the Academy's three live penguin webcams 24/7 and provides penguin biology information for global audiences.
• NightLife 21+ Evening Program Weekly Thursday evening event series for adults 21+ combining access to Academy exhibits, DJs, live performances, and science-themed programming after regular museum hours.
• Distance Learning Webinars Free live-streamed educational webinars connecting K-8 students in classrooms, libraries, and homeschool families across the U.S. and internationally with Academy educators, animals, and collections, recognized with the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education.
• City Nature Challenge Annual four-day global biodiversity documentation initiative co-led by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, engaging citizen scientists worldwide in documenting urban flora and fauna using iNaturalist.
• Sea Slug Search Community science campaign dedicated to finding and documenting nudibranchs along the California coast using iNaturalist, generating research-grade biodiversity data to fill knowledge gaps about sea slug diversity.
• Snapshot Cal Coast Annual June-July bioblitz for documenting California's coastal biodiversity through iNaturalist observations contributed by community scientists.
• Birthday Party Packages Science-themed birthday celebration packages at the Academy supporting up to 16 guests with a dedicated party host, themed goodie bags, and hands-on science activities for children.
• Penguins Pajamas Sleepovers Overnight experiences at the Academy for families and youth that include penguin-themed activities, after-hours exhibit access, and sleepovers in the museum.
• Science @ Home Activity Packs At-home science activity packs for kids featuring themed content on California Coast, Rainforests, Penguins, and other topics with crafts, videos, and guided activities for distance learning.
• Big Astronomy Planetarium Show Award-winning planetarium show exploring Chile's giant telescopes and the people behind astronomical discoveries, distributed to partner planetariums worldwide through collaborations with NOIRLab, ALMA, Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Abrams Planetarium, AURA, and other partners.
• Gems and Minerals Unearthed Exhibit Geology exhibit featuring nearly 400 specimens drawn from the Academy's natural history collection, including gems, minerals, fluorescent displays under UV light, and giant quartz crystals.
• Tusher African Hall Exhibit hall featuring recreated African wildlife dioramas, the Academy's African penguin colony, and the Human Odyssey exhibit exploring human evolution.
• Nature Lab Inclusive, hands-on interactive exhibit featuring touchable specimens, science games, and accessible content developed in partnership with Lighthouse for the Blind and Arc of San Francisco for guests with low vision and disabilities.
• Living Roof Tour Visit-accessible 2.5-acre living roof with 1.7 million plants in 50,000 biodegradable vegetation trays, part of the Academy's LEED Double Platinum-certified green building architecture with weather monitoring and automated skylight systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,400+ observations documented by 590+ citizen scientists during 2026 Sea Slug Search
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Marine Mammal CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Joint research on gray whales in San Francisco Bay documenting ship strike deaths and developing detection systems.
• U.S. Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Partner managing the WhaleSpotter voluntary alert system for ship strike prevention using thermal cameras and AI.
• Benioff Ocean Science LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Publishes WhaleSafe website with whale detection data supporting shipping lane safety.
• WhaleSpottercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Developed detection system using thermal cameras and artificial intelligence to alert ships to whale locations.
• Mizoram UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Academic partnership discovering new worm-eating snake species Trachischium lalremsangai in Murlen National Park near India-Myanmar border.
• Max Planck Institute for Biology (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Research collaboration discovering new snake species with DNA analysis support and specimen examination at Academy collection.
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026Joint leadership of City Nature Challenge, a four-day global biodiversity documentation initiative engaging citizen scientists worldwide in documenting urban flora and fauna.
• Abrams Planetarium at MSUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Big Astronomy planetarium show exploring Chile's giant telescopes and the people behind astronomical discoveries.
• Associated Universities Inc. (AUI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy production exploring astronomical observatories and discoveries.
• Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy production featuring astronomical research facilities.
• Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Big Astronomy planetarium show development and distribution.
• Peoria Riverfront MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy production and distribution to planetariums.
• Ward Beecher Planetarium at YSUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy production for planetarium distribution.
• ALMA ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured observatory in Big Astronomy show, showcasing radio telescope operations in Chile's Atacama Desert.
• Vera C. Rubin Observatory Construction ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy production showcasing astronomical research infrastructure.
• NSF's NOIRLab (CTIO and Gemini Observatory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Big Astronomy featuring Chilean observatories CTIO and Gemini South.
• U.S. National Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of Big Astronomy project (Award #: 1811436) supporting science education content.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican penguin colony participates in AZA Species Survival Plan involving 53 zoos and scientific institutions for genetic diversity.
• SANCCOBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern African Foundation for Conservation of Coastal Birds, rehabilitation center for penguins affected by oil spills and other threats.
• iNaturalistcoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform used for community science data collection and species identification in Sea Slug Search, City Nature Challenge, and other campaigns.
• Sensory Odyssey StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent creator and producer of Vivid: Immerse Your Senses exhibit featuring six ecosystems through video projections, soundscapes, and scents.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Vivid: Immerse Your Senses exhibit.
• International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated original scents for Vivid: Immerse Your Senses exhibit's sensory experience.
• Supply + DemandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American tour co-producer for Vivid: Immerse Your Senses exhibit.
• Modular Exhibit SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner powering Vivid: Immerse Your Senses exhibit.
• Tiny Chef Productions LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed Tiny Chef character content for museum-wide takeover including planetarium film, exhibit, and photo opportunities. Chef has Nickelodeon series and social media following.
• Lighthouse for the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing inclusive exhibit elements for Nature Lab for guests with low vision and disabilities.
• Arc of San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing accessible exhibit features for Nature Lab for guests with disabilities.
• American Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization for zoos and aquariums; Academy holds accreditation.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: A large zoological nonprofit with global conservation programs and multi-site operations. Comparable on AZA-accredited animal stewardship, conservation research, and nonprofit membership/visitor model, though larger and broader in zoological focus.

Direct peers

• Houston Museum of Natural Science: A major Texas science museum combining permanent halls, planetarium, and giant-screen theater. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary science institution with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating model.
• National Aquarium: A Baltimore-based nonprofit aquarium operating major marine and freshwater exhibits. Comparable as a single-site aquarium-institution combining living collections, education, and conservation advocacy.
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: A Colorado-based science museum combining natural history exhibits, planetarium (Gates Planetarium), and IMAX theater. Comparable as a multi-exhibit science institution with educational programming and onsite research.
• Shedd Aquarium: A Chicago-based nonprofit aquarium combining animal exhibits, research, and public education. Comparable as a major-city aquarium-institution with AZA accreditation and educational programming.
• Field Museum: Chicago-based natural history museum with major research collections (over 40 million specimens) and traveling exhibits. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary science museum combining permanent collection, research, and family-oriented exhibits.
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: An LA-based natural history museum and actual strategic partner on City Nature Challenge. Comparable in research output, exhibit model, and nonprofit structure, and a direct collaboration partner.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: A federal natural history museum in Washington, D.C. combining permanent collections, research, and public exhibits. Directly comparable to Cal Academy's combined museum/aquarium/planetarium mission and nonprofit funding model.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: A California-based nonprofit aquarium with strong conservation research and education programs. Comparable as a single-location aquarium-based nonprofit with marine science credibility and stewardship programs.
• American Museum of Natural History: A major New York-based natural history museum with extensive research programs, planetarium (Hayden), and iconic public exhibits. Comparable in mission breadth, research output, scale, and visitor attendance model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/calacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/calacademy
• Xx.com/calacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20513

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California Academy of Sciences