Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences

The Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences is a four-story glass dome containing a living tropical rainforest — complete with free-flying tropical birds, butterflies, reptiles, and amphibians sharing the space with human visitors as they move from forest floor to rainforest canopy.

The experience is specifically designed to be immersive rather than observational: visitors ride an elevator up through the canopy, encountering different species at each level. At the forest floor, you're eye-level with ground reptiles. In the understory, butterflies land on your clothing without warning. In the upper canopy, tropical birds glide overhead.

For children, the unscripted animal encounters are what make this exhibit unforgettable. A morpho butterfly landing on a 7-year-old's arm and opening its iridescent blue wings is the kind of moment that a child will describe to their teacher on Monday with barely controlled excitement. Wearing bright or floral clothing increases butterfly-landing probability — a pro tip worth sharing with kids before you enter.

The California Academy of Sciences as a whole is one of the finest natural history museums in the world — the living coral reef aquarium, the planetarium, the natural history collections, and the Osher Rainforest together make it a legitimately full-day family destination. The Rainforest is the star exhibit for most children and the logical first stop before the queues build.

Access requires full Cal Academy admission. SF residents under 18 get free admission — one of the city's most valuable family access programs. An Academy membership pays for itself in about 1.5 family visits.