UPDATE: Contest Over — and we have a winner.
If you didn’t win, see this new post for the best ever discount ticket for the California Academy Behind-The-Scenes Tour ($35 Off!).
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The Platinum Behind-the-Scenes Tour at California Academy of Sciences gives you an all access VIP experience you’ll never forget. Think tickets are hardly cheap at 99 bucks a pop? Then enter to win a pair FREE in this week’s giveaway, sponsored by Cal Academy.
One lucky reader will be selected on Wednesday to win both tickets to the Platinum Behind-the-Scenes Tour.
Don’t think you’ll win? Don’t worry! Check back Wednesday, September 1, for the best deal California Academy of Sciences has ever offered on this VIP Platinum Behind-the Scenes experience. The deal will only be available in September. You have a year to use the tickets, so they make great gifts, too.
The Prize: Two Platinum Behind-the-Scenes Tours at California Academy of Sciences — Value $198
Go beyond the public exhibit spaces for an all access, exclusive, up-close-and-personal look at the greenest museum on Earth. This two-hour tour takes you behind the scents for an in-depth look at areas not open to the general public. Step into the Project Lab where researchers prepare specimens for collections, see rare gems and minerals in the Academy’s Vault, visit the “heart and lungs” of the aquarium–the pump and filtration systems–and much more: express entry to the building, VIP access to the rainforest, reserved planetarium show seating, a commemorative DVD, and general admission for the entire day. Note: Children 8 and older are welcome on the tour.
TO ENTER: Leave a comment at the bottom of the page answering one of the following questions. Any answer will do (winner selected by random number generator):
- What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
- What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
- How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium? (Hint – you’ll see how when you go).
Related Posts
How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium?
The ocean water is piped in from the ocean. I remember watching the ABC 7 television special about the Academy’s grand opening. I really would appreciate the tour as a gift for my “Geeky” girlfriend’s birthday (She’s proud to be a “Geek” interested in science & animals).
What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
How much input did you get into the final design of the rebuilt Cal Academy, and how has the new building effected your department?
Secret vault, I have no expectations, just excited for the opportunity!
How do you get a job at the museum?
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
the one found deepest in the earth?
I’d ask the researchers when they first decided to go into science as a career, AND what has been their most exciting moment working at the Academy.
2. Which really came first, the chicken or the egg?
A. I would love to see a Benitoite, the state gemstone of California!
What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
I would ask them, what is the most dangerous exhibition you have been on and what was is it that you found/ didn’t find?
What is your biggest worry about the future of our environment?
Question for Cal Academy researcher:
What, to you, is the most amazing and interesting thing or part of the academy?
2. What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
-What is the most interesting thing that you’ve seen/experienced since you have worked here?
Question 2
Who takes care of the albino alligator and what does his care consist of?
I would like to see diamonds in the ‘secret vault’!
How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium?
Magic brooms holding buckets of water
#2 What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
Do the nonliving exhibits come alive at night? Do you think the place is haunted?
I would love to see a giant black opal in the vault!
1.What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
I’d like to see an emerald because I like the color green.
2. What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
What made you want to work here? What interested you most?
I would love to see an Alexandrite.
How do they tend to sick animals…
Q2: What question to ask a researcher?
What’s odd things does the staff do at Cal Academy that you haven’t done at other science museums/institutions?
1. What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
a Tanzanite
#1 I would love to see worlds largest diamond.
Q#3:
Ocean water that gets recycled and directed into the aquarium
i would love to see a raw diamond
#2: What was the one thing you can attribute your love of science to and how does that connect to what you do today?
I’d love to find a diamond!
2. What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
What’s been your most interesting project as a Cal Academy researcher?
Q3 -> A BIG pipe from the ocean to a BIG reservoir sitting beneath the museum!
To Q2 (Ask a CalAcademy researcher): What’s your favorite artifact in the Academy’s collection (which you are researching) and why?
I would like to see a big Ruby. How long does it take to grow crystal? And the water comes from the ocean through a man made hole
In the vault:
I’d like to see dilithium crystals
But since I don’t think there’s much dilithium around, I’d like to see a large faceted – 5 to 10 carat – example of California’s state gemstone: Benitoite.
Good luck to everyone!
To question #1-I would say Benitoite because it is the State gemstone.
How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium?
Salt Water is piped into the aquarium from the Pacific and wastes are purified to help recycle it in the aquarium.
#1 a raw diamond
ADVENTURINE–because I love ‘aventures’
Adventurine is a misspelling of aventurine (and sometimes known as goldstone) is a shimmering quartz stone that ranges in color from yellow to red to light green to light brown. The shimmer is caused by tiny metallic particles (mica) within the stone.
I would love to see color changing alexandrite. I would ask the researchers about snake identification. And I assume that the water is filtered and piped in, but I would love to see for myself.
What is the carbon footprint of running the Cal Academy?
Hoping for the HOPE DIAMOND.
Where there any noticeable behavioral changes in any of the animals/ sea life, that reside there, just before, during, or after the solar storm at the beginning of August?
Q2: How much funding that California academy of science receive from state and federal government each year?
2.What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
What is the world’s oldest living organism ?
Has the gulf oil really disappeared from oil-eating bacteria? Will the bacteria have an effect on any other species that may encounter it? or any other effect from feeding this bacteria?
#2 – What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
How can I motivate my elementary students to become scientists?
I would love to find BENITOITE!
I would like to see an super high grade emerald in the secret vault
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault? I would love to see a rare red diamond. I have heard that only a very few red diamonds are ever found. The gem is described as a purplish red.
2. What does the long term effect of oil spills do to the ocean? Can any damage to the ocean as a result of oil spills be reversed?
1.) I would love to find a Taaffeite, a rare purple-ish gem! It’s gorgeous!
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault? Emerald
#2 – What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
What has surprised you the most while working at the Cal Academy?
I’d like to see dacite and ask a researcher about peperite.
What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
What was the funniest or craziest thing you saw at the academy?
#1 – Kryptonite
question #2 What can we do to promote acceptance of evolution?
I’d luv to see a giant fiery opal at the Cal Academy.
I would love to see a large Emerald in the vault
#2
Scientifically speaking, how cute are penguins?
Like, on a scale of 1-10.
Question for researcher(s):
Are the polar ice caps necessary to Earth’s survival as a planet or do they simply play a role as an Ecosystem for sub temperature wildlife, and if so, is that wildlife a necessity for man’s survival or merely stepping stones for other, more specialized wildlife?
Q2: Have the green efforts that the Academy has taken in the building of the new facility affected the research environment? (ex: temp control, air filtering)
I will answer question #3 on the behalf of my daughter…the water comes from the pacific ocean (down by our house) but they need to make it “special” before the fish can swim in it.
question 2:
How does one become a Cal Academy researcher?
I would love to see a large natural Alexandrite.
I would ask a researcher, how they take the Jellyfish (the little ones that were in the tube in the middle of the room) out of their tank when they need to. It seems they would smash em if they tried to handle them or use a net. Do they suck em up with a vacuum or ???
I would ask the researchers how many preserved samples they have and how old is the oldest?
I’m wondering hat the most surprising thing the tour guides learned while working there and why they enjoy working there.
Q2: question for reseacher
If can only pick one thing, what’s the thing that uniquely set CAS from other?
1. What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
If a secret vault was made just for gems…I’d like to see a PAINITE gem.
I would like to see any gem that cannot be reproduced in a lab, if there is one.
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
Jedi Light Sabre crystal
Re: What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
If you could tell the kids of the world one thing that would excite them about science, what would it be?
I would like to know about sea otters and how they survive in our bay.
I would love to see a huge ruby!!!!
Q2. I’d like to ask a researcher for the story of when s/he first found or did something that made him or her really excited about working there.
I would like to ask a researcher about old guidebooks or biological books they may have. As a designer, artist and biology nerd, I’d love to know more about the reference collection they’re sitting on. Do they consult the books or just use the internet (wikipedia…ha) to answer their own questions?
black opal…it’s beautiful colors make me think of photos of various galaxies taken by NASA
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
I wold love to see some large hematite crystals!
Q. What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
A. What difference can the Academy make to a visitor just off the street?
I would like to know from a researcher what is the best thing about working there and what are they advocating to add?
I would love to ask… If you could bring one animal back from extinction… What would it be and why?
Which gem would I like to find in a vault?
I would like to see two diamonds, one from the earth and the other artificially generated. Is there any way to tell them apart?
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
I would like to find a huge diamond so I could sell it and donate a lot of money to the California Academy of Sciences!
Question:
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
Answer:
I would love to see a red diamond!!!
I would love to find a giant amethyst geode in the secret vault because I have always been fascinated with how such a pretty and hallow array formed inside a plain exterior.
Q3: How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium? (Hint – you’ll see how when you go).
I believe it is piped in from the ocean, and I’d love to see it!
As a Cal Academy researcher what is the most amazing and interesting thing you have researched?
How does all that water get into the aquarium?
Wasn’t it there already? In a big hole? And they just built the building around it? Much easier that way!
What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
I would ask a researcher to tell me what its like to interact with the penguins. Ive been obsessed with penguins my whole life and Id love to know what its like to interact with them as they are very social creatures.
I would also ask the researcher if I could hug a penguin, but I doubt theyd let me do that
>What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
Where can I buy a live sea turtle? My son is a big fun of sea turtle, and always asks me to have one at home
What gem would you like to find in the secret vault?
I would love to find a blue garnet just because of rare and beautiful they are.
1. I would love to see Opal in it’s raw form as it is my birth stone.
For Q2: What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
I would like to know how the researchers keep track on all the aquarium inhabitants? Also I would like to know how green the aquarium really is in terms of water filtration, oxygen pumps, cleaning etc etc.
question #1. tanzanite or emeralds. My son would love to find out how all the water gets in to the aquarium!
He loves nature, science, and animals.
1.- Question to the Cal Academy researcher: What specific project made you decide to come work for Cal Academy?
Q2: How many butterflies are there in the Cal Academy rain forest?
What question would you ask a Cal Academy researcher?
Where did you study to become a researcher for the Cal Academy, and what type of degree did you have to obtain to do so?
I would ask questions about sea turtles since I was just on an island in Mexico during nesting season and have questions
I believe all the water gets into the museum with one extremely, extremely large bucket.
As you can see, I need to go on this behind-the-scenes tour!
How does all that water get into the museum’s aquarium?
Answer: it actually comes from the ocean via pipes.
For Question 2: Out of all the amazing things at the aquarium, what do you look forward to seeing everyday when you go to work?