Our mission is to facilitate access to scientific information and Academy history, to research the interconnectivity of information, and to seek out new ways of providing access to resources and records.

  

Pearl Sonoda standing on ladder in the ichthyology collections with fish specimen

Untold Stories from the Archives

Learn about the Academy’s unsung heroes through profiles written by Academy archivists, including Careers in Science highs school interns.

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Library books

Collections

Our collections include the Research, Reference, Rare Books, and Serials sections, as well as Map Collections and the Archives—home to materials related to the history of the Academy itself. And that's just for starters.

 

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Hood Island Marine Iguana, from the Manzanita Collection

Online Resources

From databases of our own holdings—including the expansive Academy Library catalog—to partnerships such as The Online Archive of California (OAC) and Manzanita Image Project, we offer countless ways to access hundreds of years of natural-science history. 

 

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The Andean emerald (Agyrtria franciae or Amazilia franciae) is a species of hummingbird found at forest edge, woodland, gardens

The Corsi Digital Library and Lab

The Corsi Digital Library is the institutional home of the Academy's historic and naturalist photography collections.

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Sepia tone portrait of young, white man in suit with full mustache

The Problematic Legacy of David Starr Jordan

Archivists investigated the influence of David Starr Jordan, Academy ichthyologist and eugenicist.

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IBSS DEIA Seminar Series

A seminar series devoted to topics that address racism and colonialism in science.

Academy Reopening

The Academy has reopened the public floor, research collections, labs and offices. As of March 2022, Covid-19 safety precautions for back-of-house visitors remain in effect, including wearing a mask while in the department and providing proof of vaccination (boosted, if eligible). For additional inquiries and to schedule a visit, contact the Library.

Contact the Library

Academy Library and Archives
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118