Children's Museums
Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences
📍 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118🌐 www.calacademy.org/exhibits/osher-rainforest
🕐 Hours
| Monday | 9:30 AM–5 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:30 AM–5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:30 AM–5 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM–3 PM |
| Friday | 9:30 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | 9:30 AM–5 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–5 PM |
About Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences
Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences is a children's museum in San Francisco, CA. The Osher Rainforest is a four-story neotropical rainforest dome standing 90 feet tall, featuring a 100,000-gallon Amazonian flooded forest tank with a transparent tunnel walk-through. Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by 90 visitors.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Rainforest Exhibit at Science Center
- Size
- World's largest glass dome rainforest (90-foot diameter)
- Highlights
- 1,600+ live animals, 250 free-flying birds, exotic reptiles, flooded forest tunnel through 100,000-gallon aquarium
- Best For
- All ages
- Hours
- Mon-Sat 10am-4:30pm, Sun 11am-4:30pm (opens 30 min after museum)
💡 Did You Know?
- The Osher Rainforest is a four-story neotropical rainforest dome standing 90 feet tall, featuring a 100,000-gallon Amazonian flooded forest tank with a transparent tunnel walk-through
- The exhibit maintains tropical rainforest conditions year-round at 82-85°F with 75%+ humidity, creating an immersive environment with free-flying butterflies and live macaws, fish, spiders, and other ecosystem species
- Visitors can observe the complete butterfly lifecycle from emergence through flight in a dedicated butterfly emergence chamber on the top floor of the dome
- The Osher Rainforest implements bird flu precautions requiring visitors to have had no contact with wild birds or poultry within 24 hours before entry
💬 What Visitors Say
- Arrive early or visit on weekdays to avoid long lines at the Rainforest Dome, which reviews confirm is the busiest spot in the building. Lines move quickly once you're in, but early arrival means shorter waits to enter.
- Plan for the warm, humid environment (82-85°F with 75%+ humidity) by wearing light, breathable clothing and bringing a small towel. Reviews emphasize the dramatic temperature and humidity difference upon entry, so dress accordingly to stay comfortable during your visit.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes after the museum opens, as the Rainforest Dome doesn't open until then. This prevents wasted time waiting for access and allows you to experience it at the beginning of your visit rather than at the end.
- Check the butterfly emergence chamber on the top floors to watch butterflies in their early lifecycle stages—reviews highlight this as a particularly magical and photo-worthy experience that many visitors specifically seek out.
- Do not enter if you've had contact with wild birds or poultry within 24 hours due to bird flu precautions. Plan your museum day accordingly if you've been around birds recently.
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