La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
4.6(13,916)4.6 out of 5 stars, 13916 reviews Los Angeles, CA
About La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum offers a unique opportunity to witness active paleontological excavations and interact with real scientists, making it an engaging educational experience for children and families.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families interested in natural history and paleontology.Educational field trips for school-aged children.Young children (4-10 years): Engaging interactive experiences and life-size skeletons.Older children (10-15 years): Educational content about the Ice Age and fossil excavation.
Why families love it
- Active excavations where visitors can see scientists working on mammoth bones.
- Interactive exhibits that allow kids to engage with prehistoric history.
- Outdoor tours led by friendly guides who enhance the experience.
- Live lab where visitors can see researchers at work.
- Creative and thought-provoking exhibits with informative plaques.
- Free admission for LA County residents on weekdays after 3 PM.
Insider tips
- Consider visiting on a weekday afternoon to take advantage of free admission for LA County residents.
- Plan to explore the outdoor dig sites to enhance your experience.
- Bring a camera for the interactive exhibits and life-size skeletons.
Good to know before you go
- Weekends if you prefer to avoid crowds, as it can get busy.
- Parking is expensive at $18, prompting some families to seek street parking.
- The museum may be shorter than expected, which could leave some families wanting more.
- Crowds
- Weekends are likely to be busier, while weekdays, especially after 3 PM, are less crowded.
- Value
- Admission prices are reasonable compared to other attractions, with free entry for LA County residents after 3 PM. Parking is an additional $18, which can be a hidden cost.
What parents say
"Always a wonderful visit. It has been a few years since my last time. I really enjoyed looking at the active excavations of the tar and watching real scientists work on cleaning mammoth bones. Highly recommend :) And I was happy to discover LA County residence get in free weekdays after 3 PM so what was great! Parking is still $18 for everyone"
a month ago
"This is a very interesting place, especially to bring young kids. The researchers have found a treasure trove of fossilized remains of animals from and around the ice age. It is a rather short and quick museum, hence the reasonable entrance fee. However, don't forget to walk the whole surroundings and look at some of their dig sites. In doing so watch for spots of tar oozing out of the ground."
a month ago
"A very cool prehistoric history museum with lots of great life size skeletons displays. We learned a lot of new things that day. Good to know more the Ice Age and prehistoric history. Many interactive experiences for kids. There is also a live lab going on inside the museum where the researchers are working to find out and for visitors to see them at works."
a month ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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