Academy of Science

This was not my first time to the academy of science. It is actually my second time since it reopened last summer, and the millionth time since it existed as the Steinhart Aquarium. When I first went after the reopening there were a couple of things that struck me. This place reminds me of why I love ecology and want to hurry back to school and travel and save the world and do lots of other amazing things. It also reminds me of two other things 1) I hate crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and all other similar water animal types, no matter what their size is or how much or little pigment their skin has (God damn albino crocodile) and 2) Unless they are your own kids, they should be kept in a cage. There were literally thousands of kids crying, and running, and snotting all over the glass of the exhibits. Don’t get me wrong, I was once one of those running, crying, snotting, very sticky little kids at the aquarium. But the moral of the story is that the 21+ age limit on the Thursday Nightlife program makes it very enjoyable. While it is still crowed, I didn’t trip once! I visited the rainforest area which then spit us back down into the underground aquarium part. It was just as amazing as I remember from my first visit to the new museum.

Because we rushed over to meet friends there right after work without eating dinner, we also sampled the food. It was a little pricey, as all venue foods are, but quite delicious. There was Mexican food (tacos & tamales), pastas (your choice of sauce), and fried foods (calamari, French fries, shrimp), and there were also a couple of other booths that weren’t as popular, I think they were a sandwich place and something else.

While almost impossible to capture with my powershot without reading the manual and mastering all of those different settings it offers, the living roof is breathtaking at night. On the night we went it was very misty, but nonetheless provided great views of the city, and highlighted the alien features of the roof.

The DJ was good, but not my style. He was playing house/trance type music, but the sound was good, not overwhelming to all of the exhibits, but as loud as a dance floor once you got to the exhibit where he was set up. It was also pretty awesome to see everybody dancing amidst the displays. I would say it was the coolest club I have ever been to! It had all of the elements; a cool venue to draw you in, loud dance music(depending on who you are), several locations in which to get drinks, crowded, possibility of VIP entrance, and I even got hit on by who I am pretty sure was somebody’s dad when boyfriend and I were momentarily separated.

I love the idea of making a place we typically think of as purely educational into an accessible, fun, (and still educational), community building activity. My only regret was that I didn’t really dress for the occasion. I came home from work and threw on leggings, a t-shirt, and a jacket, but it quickly became apparent that I should have taken the extra 30seconds to find some high heels and put on eyeliner.

I would definitely go back to this event!