Earthquake exhibit 
opens at California Academy of Sciences

SAN FRANCISCO —  “Earthquake,” a long-running exhibit that will debut at the California Academy of Sciences on May 26, will delve into the science behind earthquakes and how societies prepare for and respond to these destructive phenomena.

Occupying the entire west hall of the academy, the exhibit will feature a number of large-scale installations, including a walk-through model of the Earth, an earthquake simulator resembling an old Victorian home and an interactive “obstacle course” designed to teach earthquake preparedness.

Concurrently, a new planetarium show will launch audiences on a tour through space and time — flying over the San Andreas fault before diving into the planet’s interior, traveling back in time to witness the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

The 8,000-square-foot “Earthquake” exhibit, which will run for several years, will be located next to the Rainforest dome. The earthquake simulator will re-create the feel of 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

The final section of the exhibit uses an interactive game to teach earthquake preparedness.

“San Francisco and California are no strangers to the awesome power of earthquakes,” said Greg Farrington, executive director of the academy. “By showing visitors the science that underlies these natural events, we want to encourage preparedness and help visitors understand how the great movements of the continents have produced the landscape we call home today and the life around us.”

During the summer of 2012, academy educators will conduct daily programs and hands-on demonstrations on the topics of geology, preparedness, and much more.

www.calacademy.org