Desert Nightlife

Can't stand the heat? Desert NightLife is a cool way to explore the unique animals and resilient plants of the world's wild, arid ecosystems.

Schedule of Events

Animal Encounters 
West Garden
7 & 8 pm

• Learn about some of the amazing adaptations of various desert-dwelling lizards, snakes, and tortoises with live animal presentations by experts from the East Bay Vivarium.

Smoke & Succulents
Science Today
7:30 & 8:30 pm

• At 7:30, hear a live talk from Cactus Jungle and learn what it takes to grow your own prickly garden.
• At 8:30, develop your amor of mezcal with the enthusiasts from Mezcalistas. They’ll share everything they know about its history, how it’s made, and their personal tasting notes for this Mexican agave-based spirit.

Desert Landscapes
Project Lab
6 - 10 pm

• Cactus lovers can marvel at Cactus Jungle’s display of desert plants and ask them anything about local flora, succulents, and drought-tolerant plants.
• Learn how cultures adapted to desert climates around the world with objects on display from the Academy’s anthropology collection.
• Feel the desert vibe with projections from classic Westerns and desert landscapes throughout the building, and check out some of the desert’s most fascinating mineral specimens, courtesy of the San Francisco Gem and Mineral Society.

Western Cinema 
Philippine Coral Reef
6 - 10 pm

• Drop into the Philippine Coral Reef to check out vintage 16mm projections of untamed desert terrain and classic Western films.