The California Academy Of Sciences Makes Impact With AV

The California Academy of Sciences is 155 years old and their new building in Golden Gate Park is the largest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified green building in the United States.

The Academy has several venues, including an aquarium, a 4-story rainforest, the planetarium, science museums, 3D theater, a lecture hall, and a naturalist center. The building also houses the Academy science labs and administrative offices, including an extensive library and scientific archive consisting of more than 26 million specimens.

All of these offerings are under a “living” roof. 1.7 million plant specimens make up the 2.5 acre living roof making it yet another for the Academy’s attractions.

Besides the thousands of plants and animals the California Academy of Sciences has incorporated innovative audio visual elements into their exhibits. I am always amazed at how the AV industry impacts the world around us. There are digital signage systems, interactive exhibits, soundscapes, diver intercoms, public address systems, labs exam tables, and audio for auditoriums.

Some of these elements make a big impact to a museum experience and some are subtle but without them the experience might not be as rich and full. Are there any museums you have been to recently that made an impact with their AV?

The Academy uses two Listen Technologies solutions. One is the tour group system for their docent led tours. The Academy offers three different kinds of tours as a unique Academy experience.

The wine and dine tour sounds like an interesting way to celebrate a special occasion.

As a public facility the California Academy of Sciences meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for accommodating the hearing impaired with Listen’s assistive listening systems. In the auditoriums the Academy uses the assistive listening systems with the LT-800 stationary transmitter. The stationary transmitters easily interface with the wireless microphone systems in place throughout the Academy. Assistive Listening systems are offered in the following exhibits:

African Penguins “Person Facilitated Experience”

Auditorium East & West

California Coast – Octopus “Person Facilitated Experience”

California Coast Dive Show

Coral Reef Dive Show

Flexible Exhibits

The “Person Facilitated Experiences” involve a docent inside a tank, talking to visitors on the outside of the tank. What unique Person Facilitated Experiences have you recently enjoyed?