Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

About

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) is one of the largest natural history museums in the United States, housed in a landmark 1913 Beaux-Arts building in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles. Its collections of nearly 35 million specimens and artifacts span 4.5 billion years of Earth and life history, with particular strength in paleontology, mineralogy, and the cultures of the Americas. The Dinosaur Hall is a highlight for visitors of all ages, featuring thirteen mounted dinosaur skeletons including T. rex growth specimens that demonstrate how the famous predator changed dramatically from hatchling to adult. The adjacent Age of Mammals hall traces the Cenozoic era through spectacular fossil mounts of animals that roamed California and North America after the dinosaurs' extinction. The Gem and Mineral Vault houses one of the finest public collections of gems, minerals, and meteorites in the country, including spectacular specimens of gold, jade, tourmaline, and rare meteorites from across the solar system. The Nature Lab presents living and preserved specimens in a hands-on learning environment, inviting visitors to engage with authentic scientific objects. The Nature Gardens surrounding the museum grounds present a living demonstration of how a traditional ornamental park can be transformed into productive urban habitat. Native plants, pollinators, and bird species colonize the gardens, and researchers use the space to study urban biodiversity. The museum operates La Brea Tar Pits and Museum as a sister institution, giving it a unique two-site model for exploring the prehistory of the Los Angeles Basin. School programs, community days, homeschool events, and extensive digital resources extend the museum's reach across the region.

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