Welcome to the Ice Age
Visit the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum in Los Angeles
Only in LA can you stumble upon a lake of bubbling black goo right in the middle of the city—complete with a life-size family of mammoths frozen in time. Take a whiff and you’ll catch the unmistakable scent of asphalt: Yep, you’ve made it to the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum.
For the past 50,000 years, Ice Age animals, insects, and plants have been getting trapped in these sticky pools of asphalt. Since the early 1900s, scientists have excavated over 3.5 million well-preserved fossils, many of which are on display inside the museum.
The museum may be small, but it’s packed with interactive exhibits and prehistoric skeletons, including mammoths, dire wolves, giant sloths, and saber-toothed cats. Don’t miss the 3D film Titans of the Ice Age, which dives into the history of the Ice Age and these ancient animals.
One of the coolest parts? Excavations are still happening. Stop by the Fossil Lab to watch scientists in action as they clean, sort, and study newly unearthed discoveries.
Afterward, stroll through Hancock Park to see the active tar pits or enjoy a picnic under the leafy trees. Check out the Pleistocene Garden, a living display of Ice Age–era plants that still thrive in LA’s climate.
It’s easy to imagine a time when creatures of the Ice Age—not cars and cranes—roamed Wilshire Boulevard.
From downtown Los Angeles, take the CA-110 South and take Exit 21 for I-10 West toward Santa Monica. In 3.4 miles, take Exit 8 for La Brea Ave. Turn right on La Brea Ave. In 1.6 miles, turn left onto W. Olympic Blvd. In 0.6 mile, turn right onto S. Curson Ave. Follow to Wilshire Blvd. The museum will be on your left.
There is a $20 parking lot on the corner of Curson Ave. and 6th St. though more affordable street parking on surrounding streets is usually available. (Just pay attention to parking signs!)
The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except select holidays and the first Tuesday of every month. Admission is $18 for adults, with discounts for seniors, students, and children. Movie ticket costs an additional $8. L.A. County residents receive free admission 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
