California Academy of Sciences has no regular free day right now — here's what exists instead. The Academy's official free/reduced admission page does not list Neighborhood Free Weekends or Quarterly Free Sundays — those programs are not currently offered. What is currently offered: EBT/Museums for All cardholders get discounted (not free) $5 daytime admission (max 4 per group); Discover & Go library-card admission passes; free admission for all SF pre-K–12 school field trips (other CA school groups discounted); children under 2 free; $3 off for active military; $3 off for arriving by sustainable transportation (walk/bike/transit). Online ticketing available for EBT cardholders Verified on California Academy of Sciences's own page, last checked 2026-09-04.
| Free day | No regular free day |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | EBT cardholders (discounted $5, not free); library cardholders (Discover & Go); SF pre-K-12 school groups (free) |
| Reservation | Online ticketing available for EBT cardholders |
| What's included | General admission |
| Regular adult price | $49 adult standard dates / $55 peak dates (per calacademy.org ticketing, not independently line-item confirmed this session) |
| Source | calacademy.org · checked 2026-09-04 |
With no free day on the calendar, the numbers are what they are — $49 adult standard dates / $55 peak dates (per calacademy.org ticketing, not independently line-item confirmed this session) per adult, $98 for two, up to $196 for four adults. The routes below — reciprocity, discount programs, or a library pass — are where that number actually comes down.
No upcoming free dates are published right now. California Academy of Sciences announces free days on its official page — that's the place to watch.
Regular tickets ($49 adult standard dates / $55 peak dates (per calacademy.org ticketing, not independently line-item confirmed this session)) are on calacademy.org; buying direct means no reseller markup. Multi-attraction visitors can compare CityPASS San Francisco, which packages top San Francisco sights below walk-up prices; whether California Academy of Sciences appears in the lineup changes year to year, so verify before you buy.
Asian Art Museum (San Francisco) (1st sunday monthly) · de Young Museum (saturdays) · Legion of Honor (saturdays) · San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) (published dates) · San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (1st wednesday monthly 10am–4pm) · Exploratorium (no regular free day) — or see the full free museum days in San Francisco guide.
A single monthly email covering San Francisco's free days — every date checked against the official pages first.
↥ Check another museum → Browse all free museum & zoo days →
The Academy's official free/reduced admission page does not list Neighborhood Free Weekends or Quarterly Free Sundays — those programs are not currently offered. What is currently offered: EBT/Museums for All cardholders get discounted (not free) $5 daytime admission (max 4 per group); Discover & Go library-card admission passes; free admission for all SF pre-K–12 school field trips (other CA school groups discounted); children under 2 free; $3 off for active military; $3 off for arriving by sustainable transportation (walk/bike/transit).
Online ticketing available for EBT cardholders
General admission
$49 adult standard dates / $55 peak dates (per calacademy.org ticketing, not independently line-item confirmed this session). A free-day visit puts that back in your pocket.
At $49 per adult, two adults keep $98 and a group of four paying adult prices keeps up to $196 per visit — before parking and extras.