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The La Brea Tar Pits are an active paleontological research site, located in Hancock Park just a hop, skip and a jump away from the campus of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art between Wilshire Blvd and 6th St. The museum that adjoins the site is the sister institution of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, which means the science done here is world class. You’ll find exhibits informing on plants and animals from the last 50,000 years, pulling from a collection of 3.5 million+ specimens (and counting!) that were dug up just outside. The showstoppers are the saber-toothed cats, mammoths, dire wolves, and mastodons, but one of my favorite parts is peeking in on the Fossil Lab to watch live as paleontologists clean, sort, and study fossils uncovered in the Tar Pits. And of course afterwards you’ll want to make sure to do a loop around the gilsonite lake (the actual Tar Pits) and snap a photo of the mammoth family who remains eternally stuck in time.
Admission to the museum starts at $18 for non-member adults, but if you’re looking to get a look at the exhibits on the cheap, you’ll be delighted to know that L.A. County residents (with valid I.D.) can get free weekday admission at the Tar Pits Museum from 3 to 5 p.m. The museum always offer free admission for california teachers (PreK to 12th grade), active or retired U.S. military, California EBT cardholders, USC students and faculty, and ADA caregivers.
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Who Might Enjoy This?
- You dig dire wolves and wooly mammoths.
- Parents who need an after-school activity for the little ones.
- Mid-City isn’t a traffic nightmare for you to get to in the afternoon.
When: Open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed the first Tuesday of every month and select holidays.
Where: 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
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