The Academy is temporarily closed to the public between January 7 and late September, 2008. The California Academy of Sciences will re-open in Golden Gate Park on September 27, 2008. Its sustainable new home will include a living rainforest exhibit, a Philippine coral reef display, a living roof blanketed with native plants, the 90-foot Morrison Planetarium dome, and old favorites like African Hall and the Swamp. Visit www.calacademy.org, or call 415-379-8000 for more details. Founded in 1853 as the first scientific institution in the West, the California Academy of Sciences' mission is to explore, explain, and protect the natural world. Conducting research in eleven fields of study, the Academy's natural history collections are utilized by scientists from around the world. Academy scientists discover, collect and study invaluable specimens of animals, plants, minerals and anthropological artifacts from around the world.