Life Map, a series of interactive computers, tell the stories of various species' evolution and how those species' shared characteristics evolved into specialized traits. The largest of its kind in the United States and the only one of its kind in the West, this display incorporates actual living coral like Daisy, soft, plate, thicklip and bubble coral. This working ecosystem is complete with coral reef fishes such as yellow tang, blue damselfish and flagtail surgeonfish. The planetarium offers guided tours through the universe in the middle of the day. Skyshows are featured at 2 p.m. on weekdays and hourly from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
Additional fees apply for the sky shows after general admission.
It is also the home of desert iguanas, rattle snakes, a Burmese python, tree frogs and spotted turtles. This touch tidepool offers visitors a unique chance to get their fingers wet by shaking hands with a sea star and other friendly creatures from the ocean. The tidepool is generally staffed by volunteers who supply plenty of information and allow visitors to handle the animals. One highlight of the hall is the roaring, battling life-size elephant seals set against a 14,000 gallon aquarium which contains over 60 rockfish species indigenous to California's Farallon Islands and a sea bird rookery display.