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Special delivery! See our visiting baby camels (Dec. 6–19) and yaks (Dec. 20–Jan. 5) this holiday. Learn more
NightSchool: How to Design a Coral Reef
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How do you create a digital coral reef so large and complex it will fill a 75-ft. planetarium dome screen? Get a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of the Academy’s latest show, Expedition Reef, with production designer Mike Schmitt and animator Ken Ackermann—members of the Academy’s award-winning Visualization Studio—and underwater photographer and 3D modeler Yasmeen Smalley-Norman. Learn how they used cutting-edge computer graphics and techniques to create a photorealistic, scientifically accurate coral reef ready for its close-up.
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PAST NIGHTSCHOOL EVENTS
Missed the party? Just want to relive the magic? Watch the recorded livestreams on YouTube!
Music
Upcoming events
January 9th at 6:00 pm
Explore the Academy at night and jump-start 2025 alongside nearly 60,000 live animals.
January 16th at 6:00 pm
See what’s revealed once the sun goes down and explore the nocturnal side of the Academy.
January 23rd at 6:00 pm
Start your weekend early at NightLife – we won't tell! Claude and the rainforest are waiting for you.
January 30th at 6:00 pm
Local treasures, tasty treats, LED lion dances. It’s time to ring in the year of the snake the NightLife way.
February 13th at 6:00 pm
Blow a kiss to our African penguins and 60,000 other creatures when you explore the Academy at night.
February 20th at 6:00 pm
We’re back with another collab with SF staple Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival featuring a DJ set by DāM-FunK.