The Natural History Museum houses some 35 million specimens and artifacts spanning 4.5 billion years in history. But it isn’t just what’s inside this structure that’s historic: The main building itself dates all the way back to 1913, when a Sunday school teacher—upset by the seemingly unstoppable influx of saloons, gambling locales, and other centers of vice—convinced the city to develop what’s now called Exposition Park. Fast-forward to the present, and the Natural History Museum is more than just a place to see weird animal bones and models of long-extinct Homo sapiens. The museum hosts plenty of public events throughout the year, including mini nature festivals, evening cocktail parties, and opportunities for community science. The neighboring California Science Center is a draw for the kiddos, and Exposition Park as a whole is occasionally leased out for large-scale music fests.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
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Join the Cultural Gathering at the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum houses some 35 million specimens and artifacts spanning 4.5 billion years in history. But it isn’t just what’s inside this structure that’s historic: The main building itself dates all the way back to 1913, when a Sunday school teacher—upset by the seemingly unstoppable influx of saloons, gambling locales, and other centers of vice—convinced the city to develop what’s now called Exposition Park. Fast-forward to the present, and the Natural History Museum is more than just a place to see weird animal bones and models of long-extinct Homo sapiens. The museum hosts plenty of public events throughout the year, including mini nature festivals, evening cocktail parties, and opportunities for community science. The neighboring California Science Center is a draw for the kiddos, and Exposition Park as a whole is occasionally leased out for large-scale music fests.
Dinosaur Hall
LA’s Natural History Museum is chock full of underwater behemoths, Sahara giants and Jurassic Park’s finest. It’s a great way to beat the heat in South Central and now with its own stop on the Expo Line it has never been easier to avoid obscene traffic altogether. If family day really isn’t your thing, try First Fridays complete with KCRW DJs, cocktails and an impressive lineup of Los Angeles bands.
Butterfly Pavilion
The insect exhibits change seasonally at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, but the butterfly pavilion is worth taking time to see. Generally open during the warmer months, the enclosure allows you to walk around a greenhouse full of hundreds of butterflies. No matter your age, it’s hard to leave without a smile on your face.
