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NightLife 15!
Buy ahead to skip the line and save on tickets. 21+.
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Go NightLife, it’s our birthday, we’re gon’ party like it’s our birthday! NightLife’s all grown up, so come out and celebrate 15 amazing years of creatures, cocktails, and culture – that’s over 700 Thursday nights!
Music
Music - Sounds by RIETA
Piazza
6 - 10pm
Check out RIETA’s exclusive NightLife playlist on the NightLife Spotify page
Birthday Party Activities - Museum of Craft & Design and San Franpsycho
Swamp
6 - 10pm
- Grab a limited edition NightLife 15 tee from San Franpsycho and make your own personalized party hat with Museum of Craft & Design.
Menu - TBD
Menu TBD!
A few don’t-miss NightLife details:
- NightLife guests are no longer required to provide proof of full vaccination or a recent negative test. We still strongly encourage all guests to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations, and to mask up indoors. As always, if you’re feeling under the weather, please NightLife another time. View health and safety information here.
- Last entry into the rainforest exhibit is 7:30 pm—our animals need their sleep.
- Morrison Planetarium is now open at NightLife with 4 showtimes. To maximize staff and guest safety, planetarium passes are required and capacity is limited. Passes are available online in advance for an additional $5 while supplies last to reserve a seat at a 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, or 9:30 pm planetarium show. Please see our FAQs for more details. (Please note: A limited number of standby seats will be available for all showtimes as space allows on a first-come, first-served basis. Food and drink are not permitted inside the planetarium.)
- Beverages are available at various bars throughout the building, but food must be enjoyed outdoors or in the Academy Café only.
- NightLife is for adults 21+ only. Valid, physical photo ID required.
- Still have Qs? See our FAQs here.
Planetarium Shows
6:30 pm, 7:30 pm
Explore the immense scale of the known Universe in this live presentation that leaves Earth far behind.
8:30 pm, 9:30 pm
Where did the building blocks of life come from? Journey across space & time to explore how elements are made.
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.