Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
Ecology
Bacteriopolis
Thousands of distinct species live and breathe (or not) in this colorful bacterial terrarium. Look for green cyanobacteria, orange iron oxidizers, and gray cellulose eaters. What you see today will be gone tomorrow in this living artwork in a perpetual state of change.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Big Wood: 300 Years of Photosynthesis
Developed by artist Michael Brown in collaboration with reclaimed wood specialist Evan Shively, a several-hundred-year-old Douglas fir was split down the center to reveal its rings, immersing visitors in a fascinating study of dendrochronology.
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Energy from Death
A decaying carcass makes a perfect meal for an assortment of scavengers, including the dermestid beetles you can see in this exhibit. As they feast on these carcasses, the dermestid beetles and their larvae get their energy and nutrients from the dried flesh, skin, and other tissues.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Glass Settling Plate
Almost any hard object submerged in San Francisco Bay—from pier pilings to the sides of sailboats—quickly becomes a habitat for an ever-changing community of living things. Here you can use a joystick-driven microscope to take a tour of the wonderland of living creatures that have settled on a glass plate that has spent some time submerged in the Bay.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Life on the Rocks
All these organisms are adapted to life in California's rocky tidal zone.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Living Systems Explainer Station
Explainers do biology and botany demonstrations.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Mapping Migrations
This interactive data visualization reveals the migration tracks of sharks, whales, sea turtles, tuna, and other marine creatures, and lets visitors explore differences in timing, geographic location, and male versus female migration routes.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Native Oyster Colony
Get a closer look at live, Olympia oysters, native to San Francisco.
Where: Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6: Observing Landscapes
Pier Piling Pivot
This exhibit uses a geared motor to swing a specially designed piling out of the water so that visitors can examine it in detail. An accompanying legend identifies the intertidal zones on the piling and the species of plant and animal life occupying this unique shoreline environment.
Where: Gallery 5: Outdoor Exhibits
Plankton Populations
Different types of phytoplankton multiply or die off in response to changing ocean conditions.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Plankton Rainbow
Plankton can distinguish between different colors of light.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Sensitive Plants
Gently touch these plants and see how they respond.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
