Filled with hundreds of fascinating exhibits and thousands of animals from around the world, the California Academy of Sciences features something for everyone. With your VIP early-access admission ticket, you'll feel like a privileged insider as you enter the Academy one hour before the general public. Your ticket includes access to all the shows and exhibits. For one low price, explore the Academy early before the crowds pour in, an advantage that only members who pay a hefty annual fee get to enjoy.

Relive two of the city's most intense quakes at the popular Earthquake Exhibit. Immerse yourself in the updated Shake House and experience the tremors firsthand in the dining room of a classic Victorian-era home. ( (

Prepare to be amazed as you discover facts about the planet and its diverse biology and ecology. Start your journey with a liftoff from planet Earth and a jaw-dropping ride to the corners of the universe at the Morrison Planetarium, the world’s largest all-digital planetarium. ( (

Then, explore the colorful underwater world at the Steinhart Aquarium, home to 38,000 live animals from around the world. A diver will descend into the tank and introduce you to the world's deepest living coral reef exhibit, featuring more than 900 species. ( (

Stop by the African Penguin colony to greet Pierre, Howard, Ocio and the rest of the friendly, playful penguins. Marine biologists will answer your questions while feeding and caring for them. ( (

Don’t miss the famed albino alligator! Join in on the Swamp Talk to learn about what it takes to care for these creatures, natives to swamps in the southeastern United States. ( (

Enter the 4-story rainforest, contained within a spectacular 90-foot (27-meter) diameter glass dome. It's the largest spherical rainforest exhibit in the world and is home to 1,600 live animals, including free-flying birds and butterflies, exotic reptiles and bats.

( (Don't leave without a visit to the Kimball Natural History Museum, whose exhibits focus on the evolution and maintenance of life on Earth, drawing on the Academy's 150 years of research.