Exploratorium

"With a showpiece lobby bar, upscale restaurants, and a sultry infinity pool, Explora Journeys' relaxed luxury-resort-at-sea vibe strikes the perfect balance on Explora I. Launched in August 2023, the all-inclusive ship is disarmingly beautiful. A sleek navy blue exterior cocoons 461 suites, all with deep balconies, walk-in closets, and marble bathrooms. There is free-flowing Champagne, 7,500 square feet of wellness space, and 18 drinking and dining venues. From Emporium Marketplace, with its decadent raw bar, to pan-Asian restaurant Sakura, the dining on Explora I is sensational. Marble & Co. Grill is an intimate steakhouse where aging meats hang in temperature-controlled cabinets. At Anthology, the ship's only supplementary restaurant, guest chefs—such as Claude Le Tohic of San Francisco's O' by Claude Le Tohic—curate sublime tasting menus. There's more: The only Rolex boutique at sea, huge hot tubs, and a shore program that sees some land experiences developed in partnership with revered explorer Mike Horn. From $698 per person per night. —Kerry Spencer" - CNT Editors

"The Exploratorium, a museum of science, art and human perception, is home to hundreds of exhibits that help in the understanding of electricity, centrifugal motion, sound waves, optical illusion and superstitions among other things. Originally located at the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium reopened in 2013 at Pier 15 on the San Francisco waterfront. The new space features updated and improved exhibits but stays close to the spirit of funky, hands-on, homebuilt science experimentation. The Exploratorium has been credited with influencing the model of exploratory, experiential museum design, encouraging visitors to handle and interact with the exhibits to understand the science behind them. The Tactile Dome – not recommended for the claustrophobic or germophobic – is an experience in total darkness that challenges visitors to heighten their sense of touch to navigate through the winding paths on their hands and knees. The tactile dome must be reserved ahead of time, and is an additional cost to the museum’s admission fee. On any given day the Exploratorium is overrun by kids on field trips or birthday parties. It can be hard to fully enjoy the exhibits while kids frantically careen from exhibit to exhibit, but it is now open every Thursday night for adults only. The lights are turned down low, special exhibits, such as chain saw ice sculpting or Dr. MegaVolt, are brought in, and drinks are served. In this setting, the Exploratorium becomes a fantastic play land for adults who still have enough wonder in them to delight in the wonderful exhibits of the Exploratorium." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Ask anyone you know who grew up in the Bay Area about the Exploratorium, and they’ll likely be able to share stories of class trips and seeing their hair stand on end at an installation about electricity or fun-house mirrors that taughtabout optics and visual perception. This is not, however, a museum simply for kids—though curious kids will definitely be entertained while learning. Instead, its exhibits aim to raise the scientific literacy of visitors of all ages, by providing engaging, amusing, and hands-on experiences. Long housed at the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium opened in its current, and much larger, space on Piers 15 and 17 in 2013. One advantage of the new waterfront location is the North Gallery and its outdoor spaces, focused on environmental phenomena like the wind, rain, and tides. The completely dark Tactile Dome and the disorienting Monochromatic Room may prove not just the highlights of your visit to the Exploratorium but the most memorable, or at least strangest, moments of your time in San Francisco . Photo by Xavier Sandel/Flickr ."

"Ask anyone you know who grew up in the Bay Area about the Exploratorium, and they’ll likely be able to share stories of class trips and seeing their hair stand on end at an installation about electricity or fun-house mirrors that taughtabout optics and visual perception. This is not, however, a museum simply for kids—though curious kids will definitely be entertained while learning. Instead, its exhibits aim to raise the scientific literacy of visitors of all ages, by providing engaging, amusing, and hands-on experiences. Long housed at the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium opened in its current, and much larger, space on Piers 15 and 17 in 2013. One advantage of the new waterfront location is the North Gallery and its outdoor spaces, focused on environmental phenomena like the wind, rain, and tides. The completely dark Tactile Dome and the disorienting Monochromatic Room may prove not just the highlights of your visit to the Exploratorium but the most memorable, or at least strangest, moments of your time in San Francisco . Photo by Xavier Sandel/Flickr ."

"Two years ago, the Exploratorium left from its long-time home next to the Palace of Fine Arts to occupy Pier 15 on the waterfront, a move that more than tripled their exhibition space and also put them in a building with LEED Platinum certification. The science museum features an incredible Tactile Dome, which is a maze of tunnels and slides that you go through completely in the dark using only your sense of touch—needless to say, kids love it."