La Brea Tar Pits and Museum — Attraction in Los Angeles

Very nice museum that truly is a portal to the past of what Los Angeles looked like a long, long, long, long time ago before there was a Los Angeles or any civilization for that matter.

As you enter the park from the parking lot there is plenty to walk around and see including outdoor excavation pits that they are still working out of today. It's a beautiful outdoor park to walk around and examine what the tar pits look like as well as seeing some statues representing some of the creatures that met they're inevitable end early by stumbling into these tar pits. There is a massive tar pit in front of the museum that shows some larger Mammoth type creatures which is pretty impressive. You can also buy your tickets to the museum right as you enter from the parking lot as an fyi.

As you enter the museum it is very nice and well kept and the displays are most impressive. There are tons of skeletal remains that have been discovered right on site and reconstructed for your viewing pleasure. Some of these creatures are absolutely massive and it's very impressive to see them reconstructed. As you walk through the museum you will encounter things such as ground sloths, mammoths, dire wolves, American camels, American lions and other creatures that have been exhumed from right near where you stand.

There's a lot of information and even an active lab where scientists/archaeologist are still cleaning, observing and reconstructing bones and other matter that they find within the tar pits. Great place to take the kids especially if they're into critters from the past.

It truly is a portal to the past and with active tar pits still on site, massive quality displays, outdoor and indoor exhibits and I highly recommend checking it out because as far as I know this is the only place like this in America. I'm unsure if there's other tar pits around the world but I have traveled the majority of America and I can't say I ever remember coming across tar pits. I could be wrong but either way I still recommend stopping by and checking it out as it is very impressive. Tickets are not that expensive and there is parking on site. Believe between my fiancee and I with parking we probably spent no more than 50$ (or right around there) until we got to the gift shop where we needed to get a magnet of course!

Also for the touring type: Hollywood Walk of Fame is not too far away from here nor is the Santa Monica Pier or Venice Beach. So if you are a SoCal resident or even from out of town with a rental car, there are many things to drive around and check out within the same day if...

it is an absolutely fascinating and iconic destination in Los Angeles that offers a unique glimpse into prehistoric life right in the heart of the city. Whether you’re a history buff, a science enthusiast, or just looking for an educational and fun outing, this place is a must-visit.

The outdoor tar pits are an extraordinary sight to see. Active excavation sites allow visitors to observe scientists uncovering fossils from tens of thousands of years ago. The bubbling tar pits themselves are a rare and mesmerizing experience, giving a firsthand look at how these pits have preserved countless plant and animal remains over millennia.

The museum is just as impressive. It houses an extensive collection of fossils, including saber-toothed cats, mammoths, and dire wolves, which were all unearthed from the tar pits. The exhibits are well-curated, informative, and interactive, making the experience enjoyable for both kids and adults. You can even watch paleontologists at work in the Fossil Lab, where they carefully clean and analyze the fossils pulled from the tar.

The staff are knowledgeable and passionate, always eager to share fascinating facts and answer any questions you may have. The museum does a wonderful job of making the science behind the tar pits engaging and accessible for all ages.

The location is also great, as it’s part of the larger Miracle Mile area, near other major attractions like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). There’s also plenty of green space around for picnics or relaxing after exploring the exhibits.

Overall, it offers an unforgettable journey into the past, making it a must-see for visitors and locals alike. Highly recommended for a fun, educational, and truly...

Listen, I came here for one thing: hot tar. This place is part natural wonder, part prehistoric death trap, part set of the 1997 cinematic masterpiece Volcano—where Tommy Lee Jones battles lava exploding from (you guessed it) these very pits.

Pros:

• It’s a real-life, bubbling pit of ancient goo. Who doesn’t love a little existential dread with their sightseeing?

• The museum is cool—lots of bones they’ve excavated from the muck, including animals that clearly didn’t understand the assignment 10,000 years ago.

• There’s a working science lab inside the museum where you can watch actual scientists clean and sort ancient bones like prehistoric CSI. Very cool, very nerdy, very satisfying.

• Tar randomly bubbles up around the property like the Earth has indigestion. Unexpected and charming!

• You only need about an hour to walk the grounds and go through the museum, so it’s the perfect stop if you like your science fun-sized.

Cons:

• At least one person will absolutely make a joke about “falling in” and unfortunately no one does. 😂

• No Tommy Lee Jones. No lava. 🌋

• The main tar pit is fenced in like it’s under celebrity protection, and tall plant life blocks a lot of the view. I get it—safety first—but I was hoping for a dramatic overlook or suspension bridge where I could gaze down into the bubbling void and reflect on the fragility of life. Instead, I was tiptoeing around shrubs like a curious meerkat.

Final Thoughts:

Even with the limited view of the main pit, it’s a fun, weird, slightly spooky place to visit.

Educational, entertaining, and just dangerous enough to keep things interesting. Come for the fossils, stay for the bubbling goo. And maybe rewatch Volcano afterward, just...