This Valentine's Day, send a Love Letter to your favorite Academy animal, biologist, diver, or scientist to let them know how they set your heart aflutter. We’ll make sure your letter reaches its intended recipient (we’ll even read out loud to Claude if necessary, promise), and you can read other Love Letters by clicking any image below. To write yours, just use our easy form:

Send a Love Letter
Dear Sea Star
MISSING THE TIDE POOL Twinkle twinkle little sea star How I wonder where you are. Kids loved to tickle you in the pool And I’d explain your life, so cool. Is that you now in the penquin’s tank Or other stars for kids to thank For showing them your arms so prickly And wondering why you don’t eat more quickly. They’d always ask if you lost an arm Would it grow back without any harm? And is that shell empty of abalone Cause you ate it or am I full of baloney? If someone naughty moved you around, Where you downside up or upside down? Your proper pose you’d soon regain, An amazing feat without a brain. I miss you little star of the sea And hope you return one day to me To help me explain your wonders to those Who come to visit and see you up close.
Missing you, Rick Cooley (Docent) I added a verse to the earlier submission
2023-02-15T10:58:26-08:00
Dear Pogo
Happy belated birthday and promptly Valentine's day! I am so excited to see you soon! Please grow healthily and happily! P.S. Please give a peck to your caretakers and wish them a Happy V-Day too! Thank you for all your hard work.
Love, Ching
2023-02-14T23:14:29-08:00
Dear Claude
I’m amazed and definitely curious what you’re thinking! I’ve seen you sit still (for long long long) times! But, I’ve been fortunate to watch you being Active! You jumped out of the water, and seemed quite agitated, to tell you the truth. But you’re a great animal to be able to follow! I hope you enjoy your home, and thank you for your contribution to our young minds! I didn’t know about Albino Crocodiles!
The Fontaine family
2023-02-14T21:26:29-08:00
Dear Pogo and all the penguins,
I love you so much. You are the cutest little guys in the world. I love watching you on the live cam and seeing what cute things you are doing. You bring my heart so much joy.
Love, your biggest fan, Mrs Hall
2023-02-14T20:00:54-08:00
dear penguins
I love to see you on the web cam and in person when possible.
love sheila
2023-02-14T17:41:26-08:00
Dear Claude
I want to wish you and all your love ones a "Very Happy Valentine's Day"! It's always a joy to visit you at the Steinhart Aquarium. And whenever I read Emma Bland Smith's wonderful book about you I am reminded of the joy I had feeding the alligators in the swamp when I was a 14 year old volunteer during the summer of 1971. I want to truly thank you so much for being such an exceptional ambassador for not only the California Academy of Sciences but for the entire city of San Francisco as well. Keep up the great job and KEEP SHINING!
Love, Sharon A. Fox
2023-02-14T14:58:50-08:00
Dearest Claude
I am thrilled that you feature in an episode of We Bare Bears, an extremely clever and locally based show. If you haven’t seen the episode I suggest you take 11 minutes out of your busy schedule. It’s entitled “Chloe and Ice Bear”, and it is well worth your time. Also, please know a visit to the California Academy of Sciences is never complete until I stop by to say hello to you. See you soon!!
Love, Tina (a fan for many hears)
2023-02-14T14:43:50-08:00
Dear Claude,
Over many decades, I have enjoyed greeting you from over the fence above your grotto. Thanks to all those dedicated staff who keep you healthy and well-fed.
Love from Eloise and daughters and grandson
2023-02-14T14:25:59-08:00
Dear all members,
Thanks so much for helping me teach my science class. It is not my main content area, so I find your lessons etc. very helpful. thanks.
Dr. Brown
2023-02-14T12:34:07-08:00
Dear California Academy of sciences
I have been a volunteer in some capacity or other at the California Academy Of Sciences since the beautiful new building opend in 2008. I plan to continue until I expire or they throw me out . It has, indeed been a privilege to volunteer here, to bring to the public an awareness of how individual behavior impacts us all, to learn about and teach the science and history of our fragile planet and how what we do matters, to understand the interconnectedness of life among earths myriad creatures. That, and the fact that it’s sheer fun being a part of the Academy. Working with knowledgeable biologists and interacting with a curious and wide-eyed public, I actually shudder to think what my life could have been had I not found this happy place of mine. I might seriously have run amok! Happy Valentine’s Day, Academy! I love you with all my heart!
Love, a very happy volunteer!️
2023-02-14T12:11:52-08:00
Hello Claude,
We are sending lots of love to you and your care team on this Valentines Day. We have been coming to see you since you first arrived! We always send a picture of you to mom in Virginia. She is 99 years old and soon to be 100. She is not able to travel but she loves to see you cozy on your rock! See you soon!
Pat and Marc Strohlein
2023-02-14T10:56:38-08:00
To all the fish in the aquarium
Keep on Swimming. You are so beautiful and wonderful to see. You brighten everyone's day.
The deLucia/Herman family
2023-02-14T10:31:14-08:00
Dear Everything About the Academy
I love you for all the awe, learning, joy and hope you infuse into our lives and the world! From Australopithicus sediba to the glowing, flowy jellyfish, you fill my soul with wonder.
Love, Kristen and the Breck family
2023-02-14T10:04:11-08:00
Dear Academy,
When we decided to look through photos to send one, we were surprised to find 400 photos taken over 8 years on our many family visits! We love everything at the academy. While we always have to visit Claude and the Pendulum, each trip is a unique adventure. When the kids were younger we spent a lot of time with the penguins and in Curiosity Grove. Now we make sure to see the Minerals and the Shake House. And we just saw our first Planetarium show last month. Thank you Academy of Sciences for continuing to entertain and educate our family.
The Pierce Family
2023-02-14T09:56:34-08:00
Aquarium team
My son is a HeartWarrior and over the last couple of years the Academy and especially the aquarium has been a safe place for him to explore, and practice his walking. We have spent hours with him scooting along the walls stopping at all the windows and sitting on the right hand side of the stairs in the big room. He calls that spot “his place.” We have sat there with him practiced his colors, counting and other forms of speech. We have practiced sitting and standing which to this kiddo has not come easy but most of all we sit and watch all the beautiful fish. This toddler loves learning about the ocean and fishes so much that when we where finally able to travel we made sure to visit aquariums. So far he has visited 3 in California and 2 in Italy. Yours however is his favorite. Thank you for all you do!
Love the Kerr family
2023-02-14T09:55:59-08:00

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