Creatures of the NightLife

The creatures come out at NightLife as the Academy transforms into a spine-tingling and outrageous celebration of supernatural science on the spookiest night of the year.

For this special Halloween edition, drag queen extraordinaire Heklina hosts our annual Halloween drag show and costume contest outside on the West Garden stage.

Inside, African Hall transforms into a spooky haunted movie theater playing a reel of cursed movie clips from Balboa Theater’s favorite scary (and scary bad) films, hosted by local horror legend Lord Blood-Rah. Grab refreshments in the theater “lobby” and play some of the Pacific Pinball Museum’s scariest machines.

Gather for a creepy round of “Ghost Stories,” a live storytelling event exploring the things we’re haunted by and near-death experiences.

Downstairs in the aquarium, Reimagine Festival inhabits the Philippine Coral Reef with a colorful interactive Dia de Los Muertos altar.

Curious spirits can learn about spiders, scorpions, and other creepy creatures with Academy scientists while enjoying Halloween-themed spirits and cocktails of their own.

Throughout the night, DJ Omar Perez provides a fitting “Monster Mash” for a thriller of a dance floor bash.

In the planetarium, embark on a “Haunted Tour of the Night Sky” or learn about lunar mysteries in “Moon Lore.”