While we were on our recent vacation to California one of the places, we stopped to check out was the La Brea tar pits & museum in Los Angeles. It is crazy to see this location tucked away in the middle of town, it has a lovely park to walk through to see the different tar pits. Everything is self-guided so you can walk at your own pace. The park and viewing the tar pits seemed like it is free to walk around at any time, there are multiple entrances into the park & there were lots of people walking their dogs, having lunch and just enjoying the nice day out on the grass. Watch where you walk though if you decide to wander onto the grass, you'll see spots where the tar is starting to seep up through the grass. Most of the spots have signs or cones around them so no one ends up sticking their foot into it & then tracking the tar around on their shoe. One of the tar pits you will get to see is an active site that they are still excavating so you'll get to see some of the bones they are bringing up.
The museum itself is not free, you can either purchase tickets at the little ticket booth outside or buy them upon entry into the museum. Tickets are $15 per adult and $7 for children, they also have a gift shop on site. Inside of the museum you will find a number of skeletal remains they have found in the tar pits right on their own grounds!
It was crazy to see how many sets of remains had been pulled up from the pits & how many different types of animals, bugs and even plants they have found inside of the tar. You'll get to see many of the remains they've pulled up along with information on the species and more on your tour of the museum. Some of the skeletons they have on display are absolutely massive and others are quite tiny.
During your tour you'll find several interactive stations for any small kids in your group, it is a fun way to help keep them entertained and engaged during your visit to the museum. A few of the spots are fun for adults too like trying to pull an object out of real tar.
On of the neat aspects of this museum is they have a viewing area where you can watch staff working on remains that have been excavated from the tar pits. It is pretty neat being able to see them removing tar and delicately working to give the remains the best appearance possible. I personally am not sure if I would be able to concentrate on working with dozens of people stopping to watch me work throughout the day. Do you think you would be able to do it?
My favorite part of the museum is the arboretum in the center of the museum. You'll be able to take a short stroll looking at the assortment of trees, plants and flowers they have on display. I also liked the small waterfall & river they installed in this area. It is a nice spot to sit & relax if you need a few minutes to rest your feet. In total I think we were at the tar pits & museum for around an hour, maybe a little longer. It was a neat experience to do with our kids, not only is it fun but it can also be quite educational.
If you are planning a trip to southern California & are looking for other activities to do feel free to type in "Things to do in California" in the search bar of my blog so you can find some other great activities in California. This was not a sponsored review, we paid to get into the museum ourselves. I enjoy being able to share spots like this with my readers who may not be able to visit in person, but are still interested in learning more about these spots, or for anyone planning vacations in the area.
18 comments:
We saw the tar pits a few years ago, and it was the coolest thing! I'm so fascinated by them and by the fact that they keep finding things in them.
I would love to see the tar pits in person one day. I've watched severals shows bout them, and I find them so amazing.
I am hearing about the tar pits for the first time but it sounds like a fun place to visit. The park and the museum are wonderful as well.
I have seen this on TV before and have always thought it would be such an interesting place to visit.
It sounds like such a unique and fascinating place to visit, especially with the active excavation site and the diverse range of remains they've uncovered
I'd have never even thought to go somewhere like this if I saw it advertised. But it looks really interesting, so crazy that they find remains in the tar x
Wow such an interesting place to visit and explore! To think of what the planet was like at one point and the creatures that roamed it...so extraordinary!
It's amazing that anything can be extracted from tar intact at all. That stuff is soooo hard to get off of anything.
I have heard of the LaBrea Tar Pits, but never knew exactly what they were all about or what they contain. This is good info to know and a reason to visit when I'm in L.A next, which should be soon.
Ah, dinosaurs are so popular, especially among children, but their past existence does not have any influence on our lives or humanity in general.
Wow, very cool place, would love to visit this place and it has good things to see. Should be a great experience to go there.
It seems like a unique and exciting location to visit. The fact that it's located in the middle of town and has a lovely park to walk through is definitely a plus. It's good to know that everything is self-guided and visitors can walk at their own pace. The caution to watch where you walk on the grass is also appreciated, as it sounds like a potential hazard. Seeing an active excavation site and the bones they are bringing up must have been a fascinating experience. Overall, it sounds like a great place to visit and explore.
Reading this post is like: you've transported me to an ancient world right from the comfort of my screen! 🦴🌋 Your detailed exploration of the museum is not just informative; it's an invitation for readers to join you on a journey through time.
Looks interesting! There is no similar museum in my country so definitely I will visit La Brea Tar Pits & Museum when coming to Los Angeles.
What an interesting museum to come and visit! Those pre-historic bones look amazingly well maintained!
This museum looks really so amazing to visit. I would love to visit here someday.
IU cannot believe this is a thing and I am for sure adding this to my travel list when I get to Cally. I love this and will for sure check out the restaurant too!
Looks like such an interesting place to visit, you take such great photos
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