From albino axolotls to rainbow-colored beetles, experience the full spectrum of animal awesomeness this summer.

In FY25, the Academy incurred a cash deficit of $7.3M. For the current fiscal year, the cash deficit is projected to exceed $8.0M. This is due in large part to the costs of maintaining our buildings ...

Each of the winning images in the BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition enshrines a fleeting moment on Earth that might otherwise escape our attention. Visit the exhibition at the Academy ...

Sea slugs are spectacular tidepool treasures—and we need your help finding them! This May, share your sea slug observations during the Sea Slug Search to help fill data gaps and deepen our ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 7, 2026) — Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences described 72 new animal, plant, and fungi species in 2025, enriching scientists’ understanding of Earth’s ...

We loved every inch of him. From snout to tail, no part of Claude escaped scrutiny from his adoring fans. Every move (or nap, as was more often the case) was cause for celebration. Even after 17 years ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 2, 2025) — It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Claude, our beloved albino alligator, has passed away at the age of 30. Claude was an iconic California ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 25, 2025) — A new study of coyote movement patterns published today in Ecology Letters challenges previous research that suggests ecological landscape features—like the ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 18, 2025) — Academy researchers and partners made the first discovery of both a new genus and species of plant in a U.S. national park in nearly 50 years. The ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 19, 2024) — Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences described 138 new animal, plant, and fungi species in 2024, enriching our understanding of Earth’s ...

“The Forest Of The Monarchs,” a photo of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico, taken by National Geographic Explorer Jaime Rojo won the 2024 BigPicture Grand Prize.

The selected creatives will create digital content and host in-person programming to spark conversations about environmental issues. (L-R) Kaua Hermosura, Desiree McGill, Vishal Subramanyan, Chloé ...