San Francisco's most freshly baked (err.. renovated) museum delights with large aquariums, African dioramas, a rainforest, and planetarium all wrapped in a wondrously uber-modern grass covered "living roof" with skylights.
The museum is an extremely popular attraction and the semi-permanent collection of wild children is considerable - going early and avoiding weekends/holidays (as possible) are good bets. The weekly (Thursdays) NightLife event is 21+ and a great break from the kiddies, but no less crowded or loud :)
Don't miss the frequently active penguins in the otherwise static hall of African dioramas. The penguins are so watchable that they have their own live-feed iPhone app (with both terrestrial and aquatic views!) in addition to a general museum guide and an Academy-sponsored guide to Golden Gate Park.
The de Young Museum is on the same circle and the Japanese Tea Garden and Botanical Garden just a couple blocks - and Golden Gate Park's other treasures a bit further :)
Address: 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park, SF, CA
Website: http://www.calacademy.org/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Academy_of_Sciences
