California Academy of Sciences celebrates new exhibit

June 13, 2018

The Academy’s newest exhibit, open June 15^th, features immersive redwood forest experiences, coastal fog, natural history, marine mammal skeletons and models, citizen science and innovations in sustainability.
“Giants of Land and Sea” beckons museum visitors to the wonder of Northern California’s coast and the dynamism that makes the golden state unlike anywhere else in the world.

California visitors and residents alike marvel at the state’s sublime coastal landscapes, dynamic ecosystems and diverse communities. “California’s coastline is home to some of our planet’s most extraordinary ecological interfaces, where ocean currents and upwelling meet a geologically active landscape to create unique ecosystems rich in biodiversity,” says Dr. Shannon Bennett, chief of science at the California Academy of Sciences. “As scientists, it provides a living laboratory to study some of Earth’s most treasured systems at a time when our planet faces unprecedented environmental change. And as proud Californians, it provides a place of wonder, awe, and inspiration to be protected, celebrated, and sustained for future generations.”

"Life at the edge of land and sea"

At the Moore Foundation, our Bay Area Program supports work to safeguard and enhance the special character of the region, especially through its thriving local science and technology museums and its vast open spaces and habitats teeming with native plant and animal species.

We’re honored to support the Academy’s new “Giants of Land and Sea” exhibit, which will inspire visitors to explore and spend time wondering about the ever-changing ecosystems and natural phenomena all around us. The exhibit will also celebrate the spirit of creativity and invention in the Bay Area that is helping to shape our future. As visitors delve into the immersive sights, sounds and sensations of redwood canopies, fog forests and simulated earthquakes, and examine massive whale skulls and articulated marine mammal skeletons, they will discover how the interplay of land, ocean and climate gives rise to globally unique habitats and rich ecological diversity. And through complementary multi-sensory experiences, interactive public programs and corresponding educational programming, the Academy will spotlight scientific research and discoveries on site and in local classrooms and community centers. The exhibit will also offer opportunities to engage with citizen science tools, including the Bay Area-born iNaturalist app, to observe, appreciate and contribute to studies of biodiversity. The exhibit will feature multilingual interpretation – in Spanish, Chinese, Filipino and English.

Among the exhibit highlights:

An intimate, multimedia experience to ascend, virtually, from the forest floor to the treetop canopy alongside scientists who brave incredible heights to study the complex ecological structure and charismatic wildlife that make these mighty giants their home.

An immersive fog room to feel the chill and hear the sounds of San Francisco’s fabled and ever-present neighbor that captivates both locals and visitors alike.
A reimagined Shake House — made popular in the Academy’s former Earthquake exhibit — returns with a new look and feel as visitors experience the rumbles and jolts of the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes that shook the Bay Area.
Overhead in the exhibit, visitors can take in the enormity of a massive blue whale skeleton and explore more than a dozen articulated marine mammal specimens and skulls, including dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions, and more to learn how marine mammals have evolved over time to glide through water, dive deep, and haul out on shore.
Stories throughout the exhibit highlight our human connection to coastal food webs, including how citizen scientists are working to document and understand the impact of our changing ocean ecology using the iNaturalist app, powered by the Academy and National Geographic Society.
In a region known for groundbreaking innovation, some of today’s most promising sustainability solutions have their roots right here in the Bay Area thanks to creative partnerships between local Californians, Native tribes, and scientists from throughout the state.