Believe it or not, that meadow-like landscape is the 2 1/2 acre LIVING roof of the newly renovated California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. It sits atop an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and an amazing 4-story rainforest.

The roof itself is an AWESOME feet of green engineering. It naturally regulates the building’s temperature, supports 1.7 MILLION native plants and the 60,000 photovoltaic solar cells surrounding the roof generate a percentage of the museum’s power.

The California Academy of Sciences is truly ALIVE! With many exotic plants and animals calling it home; like tropical birds, fish and flowers, ants, lizards, snakes, coral reefs and even penguins. Sure beats a stuffed grizzly bear!

Other notable green innovations include using recycled denim as insulation and rechargeable vehicle stations. After nearly 10 years and $500 MILLION dollars the museum opened its doors this weekend, so what are you waiting for! Go check it out.

Via TreeHugger.