Imagine a place in the city where bar life meets the evolution of life. A place where people can go once a week to enjoy music and cocktails with friends while meandering through aquariums filled with exotic fish and frisky penguins. The California Academy of Sciences has created a night for the masses that incorporates learning with liquor, music with mammals, and science with the fine art of socializing.

The California Academy of Sciences will now be hosting an event every Thursday night from 6 to 10 p.m. for those eighteen and older. The venue, titled "Nightlife," was created in celebration of Charles Darwin. His theory of evolution by natural selection was published over 150 years ago. The Academy strongly feels that Americans should be educated on Darwin's work.

The walk up the grand staircase and through the glass walls of the museum is breathtaking in itself. Upon entrance, people are encouraged to purchase soda, wine, or a cocktail of their choice. Snacks are also available to satisfy an after-dinner craving.

Robert Etwistle is a volunteer in the fossil exhibit at the museum. An elderly man with soft eyes and an eagerness to share his knowledge of bones, he has been working for the Academy for over fourteen years.

"I enjoy working in this section of the museum because there aren't as many people. I love telling people the history behind these bones, but not when it gets too crowded," he says with a smile. "Thursday nights are going to get really busy; I like working where it is a little more calm."

Beside the bone exhibit sits a sky-scraping biodome. The enormous bubble is home to dozens of tropical plants and animals. A steam machine showers the plants and animals with moist air while tiny butterflies hover over the plants and people below.

At the top of the dome, dozens of insects and reptiles are active in their aquariums. Tree frogs hide amongst the branches of their homes while lizards are camouflaged against earth colored rocks. Below the biodome are dark, cool corridors that host more wildlife, including a green anaconda that takes up an entire wall's length of the exhibit.

The academy was expecting over two thousand guests to arrive at the opening event. On their website, they claimed the event was sold out soon after tickets went on sale. However, some guests were happily surprised when they showed up at the front door and found tickets still available.

Melissa Salmeron and Ameet Narayan arrived at six p.m. without tickets.

"We showed up at the door, not positive we were going to get in, and were psyched that they sold us two tickets," says Salmeron with a smile.

"We just got here and are already so impressed. They shouldn't tell people the event is sold out when they are selling tickets at the door. This place is way too cool to turn people away," exclaims Narayan.

In a wetter section of the museum, tide pools and touch tanks are dappled throughout the floor. Techno music blares among the people and sea creatures in the exhibit, lit dimly with blue light.

Alice Rocky is a softspoken woman who volunteers in the marine mammal area of the museum. She works behind the touch tank counter.

"We try to have an assortment of different animals on the floor at all times. We bring new animals out every day for people to touch and observe and then trade them out with different animals at the end of the day," Rocky explains.

Linda Haung is a staff member who works with Rocky.

"The animals are very well taken care of. They never return back to the ocean, but they live a healthy and comfortable life," Haung says.

OM Records is DJing on the turntables beside the African safari exhibit. As the night went on and more cocktails were consumed, guests slowly made their way out onto the "dance floor." Among the interactive insect floor displays, couples and strangers alike rocked out on the marble floor.

Beth Waitkus and Paul Burdoce are among the middle-aged dancing crowd.

"We are not husband and wife, but we sure can dance well together!" Waitkus yells over the blaring music.

"It is very unique to go somewhere where you can learn so much about science and life and have such a great time doing it," she says.

Burrton Alberts is a senior volunteer at the museum. By the end of the night he had a huge smile on his face, saying "Good night," to guests as they filed out of the museum.
"This is a very unique place. There is nowhere else in the city where guests of such different ages and backgrounds can mix science with learning and partying. People of all ages can take something positive away from this night," he states.

When asked how the museum is kept clean and whether artifacts or animals are harmed after the events Alberts's response was, "People that come here respect this place. There is something about the vibe that I don't think anyone would ever want to harm anything alive or dead that lives here."

contact: mccauley@sfsu.edu | Alex McCauley is excited to graduate college! She is planning on making millions of dollars writing eBooks on a beach in Costa Rica with a Corona in hand.