By combining the molecular silica precursor tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) with an alkaline, micellar, water: methanol solution, we form surfactant-templated silica gel (STSG) monoliths. The wet monoliths can be exchanged with ethanol and then supercritically extracted with carbon dioxide to produce surfactant-templated silica aerogels (STSAs). STSAs represent a new class of aerogels that are composed of aggregated submicron porous particles that have tunable intraparticle nanoporosity. STSAs catalyzed with NH 4 OH experience no measurable shrinkage upon extraction and have bulk densities less than ~0.15 g/cc. The STSAs can then be calcined to remove the remainder of the surfactant. The calcination process leads to minimal shrinkage (<8%), high surface area (~700 m 2 /g), uncracked monoliths with hierarchical inter- and intraparticle porosities, and bulk densities less than 0.08 g/cc. We use XRD, SAXS, SEM. 29 Si NMR. and N 2 Sorption to characterize the structure and porosity of these novel aerogels.