La Brea Tar Pits & Museum

The La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park had pits of tar in which animals got stuck and died during the latter part of the last Ice Age (10,000 to 40,000 years ago). The animals thought the black pools of tar were water and got stuck. The black ozee preserved the bones that have been excavated, and are still being excavated today.  Explore the tar pits, go inside the Museum to see what paleontologists have found, and get the inside story of the La Brea Tar Pits, and experience how an actual Ice Age dig site works. The Museum also houses animal skeletons, including mammoths, mastodons, dire wolves, saber-toothed cats, and a variety of birds. 
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While you are there, make sure to catch Titans of the Ice Age 3D.  In this exciting 3D adventure, discover an icy world on the brink of extinction, where humans share the frozen tundra with majestic beasts. Encounter some of the Earth’s most awe-inspiring mammals, from saber-toothed cats and dire wolves to giant sloths and the iconic mammoths that lived 10,000 years before modern civilization. Take your lunch, or grab something nearby, and have a picnic in Hancock park right in the middle of the La Brea Tar Pits, and roll down the hills with the kids, which is one of the kids' favorite things to do when they visit.
 
Free Days
Beginning April 15, 2021, at La Brea Tar Pits, admission will be free for Los Angeles County residents between the hours of 3 and 5 p.m. on all days that the Museum is open. Timed tickets must be reserved online and will be available for reservation on a first-come/first-served basis.
 
Safety
Proof of Vaccination Required Beginning November 4, 2021. In accordance with the L.A. City Municipal Code Ordinance, beginning November 4 all eligible patrons are required to show proof of vaccination. Those with medical or religious exemptions may present a negative COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours. Visitors 18+ must also show a valid photo ID. Click here for details. ​