A group of community scientists explores tidepools along the Northern California coast
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We’re growing a movement for nature. Help us put down roots.

The Academy is a beloved museum with a bold mission: To regenerate the natural world. We’re tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss through innovative programs that breed endangered species, restore damaged ecosystems, and advocate for urban nature.

The missing piece? You. That’s why we launched the Regeneration Circle—a vibrant collective of Academy supporters who are ready for action and ready to commit to saving the places and species dear to us.

Become a founding supporter of the Regeneration Circle today by making a one-time or monthly gift that fuels the Academy’s mission and helps cultivate a thriving future for humans and wildlife alike.

There are great benefits to joining the Regeneration Circle:

  • Virtual experiences with Academy scientists and partners
  • Behind-the-scenes glimpses of new expeditions
  • Invitations to local in-person activities like plantings and cleanups
  • A front-row seat to updates on our regeneration priorities—in the Bay Area and across the globe
  • Early access to local and global travel programs
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Give now to join the Regeneration Circle

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Regeneration at work

These three Academy initiatives are great examples of our approach to regeneration—and are made possible by the Regeneration Circle. Need a regeneration refresher? Click here.

A bed of vibrant purple corals

Spawning coral

Our Coral Regeneration Lab (CoRL) was the first lab in an aquarium setting in the U.S. to spawn coral. Today, our Acropora coral babies are thriving—and we’re learning about coral resilience in the face of climate change.

A silvery blue butterfly alights on a plant in the San Francisco Presidio

Restoring the blues

San Francisco’s expansion degraded its dune habitats, causing the Xerces blue butterfly to go extinct. In 2024, the Academy and Presidio Trust reintroduced silvery blue butterflies—Xerces’ closest living relatives—into the dunes, filling a long-vacant ecological gap.


Tiny baby sunflower sea stars against a black background

Saving sunflower stars

Sunflower sea stars became critically endangered after sea star wasting syndrome swept the West Coast in 2013. Along with statewide partners, the Academy is working to bolster aquarium populations of these keystone species in hopes of eventually releasing them back into the wild.

More ways to give—and give back
Explore, regenerate, and contribute to scientific research in your own local community.
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Reimagining SF wordmark with poppy illustrations
Reimagining San Francisco

A citywide alliance improving the ecological health of SF and equitably distributing nature's benefits to all.

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Group of volunteers atop the living roof on Cal Academy with Volunteers for Nature wordmark
Volunteers for Nature

A new program that connects young adults with nature-based volunteer opportunities across the Bay Area.

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Citizen science observation
Community Science

Learn more about the Academy's community science program, and join an upcoming bioblitz or biodiversity survey.

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Regeneration is:

» Reversing biodiversity and habitat loss to fight climate change.

» Restoring critical ecosystems—and our place within them.

» Reshaping environmentalism to welcome diverse voices.

» Remembering that we are part of, not apart from, the natural world.

Give with confidence

The Academy has earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid and a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator.

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