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What people say

Here's my honest review. I was going to give it 3 stars but the education aspect keeps it at 4. I'm 39 and we would visit this place almost every weekend as kids with our grandparents that lived in San Francisco. I'd come here as well older on free days or when I had a pass as well. The remodeling is very nice, I love modern, but the charm is absolutely gone. Only one side now has the original architecture and some of the amazing Iron railings are still there, but they are basically gone. Only one iron railing section remains by the alligator. While the new Planetarium is amazing, the old one is sorely missed and better IMO. Same with the mysterious pendulum room, gone, now replaced and put out in the open bright room. It also has waaaaay less displays and interactive exhibits. There's only half of what used to be there, maybe even under half actually. They really downsized everything though. I'm being an old man, lol, I miss the charm and mystery. It's definitely not the same. Moving on, what they do have though is great and educational, and all of the staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The aquarium area nice, smaller, compartmentalized, but it's fun. The rainforest is really great, in its atmosphere bubble. The food in the cafe is excellent, offering some tasty street food. I had some jerk chicken with kimchi and all the fixins. The grounds are really nice, the garden. The roof garden, is nice and serves a scientific purpose with the building, but I was completely unimpressed by it. And it sucks you can't walk around on a trail on the roof, through the garden. You arrive out of the elevator and basically can walk on the square area. The more scientific exploration floors are on the 2nd and 3rd floor, with fossils, rocks, gems and so on. That's my favorite area still which hasn't changed. Overall it is worth it coming here with your family to see the smile on your kids face and of course you learn something each time. But I just really really really miss the charm of the old Academy of Science and all of the interactive things they used to have. They should have filled the giant Plaza area, where you walk in, with exhibits instead of numerous chairs. Just my opinion. Whatever, there's my two bits.

What people say

Here's my honest review. I was going to give it 3 stars but the education aspect keeps it at 4. I'm 39 and we would visit this place almost every weekend as kids with our grandparents that lived in San Francisco. I'd come here as well older on free days or when I had a pass as well. The remodeling is very nice, I love modern, but the charm is absolutely gone. Only one side now has the original architecture and some of the amazing Iron railings are still there, but they are basically gone. Only one iron railing section remains by the alligator. While the new Planetarium is amazing, the old one is sorely missed and better IMO. Same with the mysterious pendulum room, gone, now replaced and put out in the open bright room. It also has waaaaay less displays and interactive exhibits. There's only half of what used to be there, maybe even under half actually. They really downsized everything though. I'm being an old man, lol, I miss the charm and mystery. It's definitely not the same. Moving on, what they do have though is great and educational, and all of the staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The aquarium area nice, smaller, compartmentalized, but it's fun. The rainforest is really great, in its atmosphere bubble. The food in the cafe is excellent, offering some tasty street food. I had some jerk chicken with kimchi and all the fixins. The grounds are really nice, the garden. The roof garden, is nice and serves a scientific purpose with the building, but I was completely unimpressed by it. And it sucks you can't walk around on a trail on the roof, through the garden. You arrive out of the elevator and basically can walk on the square area. The more scientific exploration floors are on the 2nd and 3rd floor, with fossils, rocks, gems and so on. That's my favorite area still which hasn't changed. Overall it is worth it coming here with your family to see the smile on your kids face and of course you learn something each time. But I just really really really miss the charm of the old Academy of Science and all of the interactive things they used to have. They should have filled the giant Plaza area, where you walk in, with exhibits instead of numerous chairs. Just my opinion. Whatever, there's my two bits.