La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
4.5
Natural History MuseumsScience Museums
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Explore the world's only active, urban Ice Age excavation site. Inside the Page Museum is where we showcase the best fossils, animals, and plants that have been discovered here - mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and more. Experience the Ice Age come to life with our Ice Age Encounters show. Outside check out the La Brea Tar Pits where tar is still bubbling and our active fossil excavation sites to see what our excavators have uncovered today. Get the behind-the-scenes story and see scientists working on recently excavated fossils, walk around our famous Lake Pit, and visit our live dig site where scientists discover new Ice Age specimens every day. Free with museum admission.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Admission tickets
from $18.00
All you need to step foot in the door.
Top ways to experience La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
See what travelers are saying
  • TravelerWithOpinions
    Boston, Massachusetts517 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating!!
    It's wonderful that the La Brea Tar Pits are considered a city park and are therefore free and open to the public. The signage is informative and fascinating, as is seeing places where tar is bubbling up. It's also so interesting to see the crates of fossils and more waiting to be studied!
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 7, 2023
  • Bunty8
    United Kingdom631 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting
    This was an interesting site, I hadn’t been aware of the tar pits. Museum was closed but had wander around the park, where you can see the tar pits bubbling away and explanation of how the animals had been trapped. If passing worth a look, would liked to have seen museum.
    Visited May 2023
    Written July 3, 2023
  • Paul W
    Sheffield, United Kingdom153 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit if you are in the area
    We are from the UK and were travelling around the US, when this location was recommended to us. To be honest, we weren't too sure about a visit, however we were very pleasantly surprised and glad that we did visit La Brea. The place is very interesting and informative and the walking tour that we went on (included in the admission price) with a young (to us 60 somethings) lady was really enjoyable. Thank you! You can also get re-admission on the same day with the wrist band.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written July 19, 2023
  • spiwakj
    Jacksonville, Florida259 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent place to visit while in LA.
    This was a terrific experience. You can actually view the tar pits in the outdoor area for no cost. It is very interesting. The fossil/fact tour by Reuben was wonderful and he answered many questions. The indoor museum has a few, and it is well laid out and worth the price. Park in the public lot if their lot is full. Lots of good places to eat within walking distance. It was an enjoyable experience.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 30, 2023
  • Jim F
    Greensburg, Pennsylvania195 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ice Age revisited
    The Ice Age revisited! Visiting the actual tar pits dating back centuries gave a whole new perspective of the development of our planet. The pits continue to not only bubble but also to provide fossils of mammoths, saber toothed cats and so many other animals and insects. After touring the tar pits, a visit to the museum is a must. The various discoveries from the pits are put together like an intricate puzzle forming completed skeletons of the centuries old mammals and insects. It is an exciting and eye opening experience. Both children and adults will be impressed with a visit here.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 2, 2023
  • Brandon K
    Flagstaff, Arizona1,911 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum but very good overall experience
    I am not sure what I had in mind coming into this, but the experience was very good even if different than expected. We waited a day to come because it says online you need tickets on limited availability to go to the "museum". What we did not know is that 75 percent of what you see is outside in the free public park area with the last 25% being inside the museum that has limited access. The tar pits themselves are interesting areas. They are spots where oil comes up from faults and interacts with surface water. They sound far more visual than they are, but there is nothing wrong with that if you manage expectations. There are multiple fenced off "pits" that show where the oil and tar have come up through the ground, but only a couple of them really look interesting - the lake pit being one as you can see big bubbles coming up through the water. The funny and interesting part is that the tar pits pop up wherever they please. There are clearly smaller areas that were fenced as something bubbled up wherever it broke through the grass or dirt, which is really interesting to realize how "live" these pits still are in the middle of developed LA. The museum itself was worth the wait an the time as it has all sorts of fossils and great exhibits that the kids really got into, so I recommend that you make sure you have time for the actual museum if this is your first visit. I don't know if this place has much repeat value unless you come for a specific event.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 12, 2023
  • Kevin B
    Mount Juliet, Tennessee3,585 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So very interesting!
    The tar pits are a fascinating site and one that you would never imagine would be in the the center of LA. The tar pits are still active and there's still excavation going on and it was very interesting to see how they preserved so many animals. It's frankly easy to see how an animal can get trapped in here when you're walking around outside. The museum is very nice as well and they have numerous skeletons of animals that were excavated from the tar pits, including American mastodon, dire wolves, and saber-toothed cats amongst others. We really enjoyed these exhibits and it's always a pleasure to tour a museum that houses local specimens. It's definitely a worthwhile place to visit and it was one of our favorite things we saw in LA.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 12, 2023
  • Bobby31225
    Bullhead City, Arizona1,880 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth seeing!
    My friend took me here while visiting him in the Loa Angels area. It's a place I have always wanted to see. It was very interesting to look and walk around then we went into the Museum. That was really good! Only thing I didn't like was you had to pay $18.00 just to park and then it was $15.00 to get into the Museum! I got in for $12.00 for senior rate. My friend being a Veteran got in for free. Having to pay to park just didn't sit well with me. In my book, that also should have covered the entrance fee to the Museum! Totally overpriced! Overall, it was worth seeing.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 3, 2024
  • Michellescottrn
    Phoenix, Arizona135 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great educational museum and tons of local fossils
    Wonderful, educational museum about the LaBrea Tar Pits. Great exhibits/fossils all about the local area. The museum can be completed in about an hour, great for families. Then head outside to see the actual Tar Pits. Amazing to see these in the middle of LA.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 3, 2024
  • Heather Johnson
    Sterling, Illinois49 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    La Brea is a MUST for history and geology lovers!
    This is a MUST-SEE experience in L.A. As sturdy midwesterners, our geology is familiar to us in a way that being at the tar pits was an absolutely WILD experience. We parked next to seeping tar, and none of us could get over its ability to just...exist...everywhere! The grounds are lovely for walking and stretching your legs, the parking is easy, and the museum is top notch. The kids loved the interactive portions of the exhibits, and the restroom facilities and gift shop were great too! If you are in L.A. at all, this feels like a no brainer! The history here is well-preserved, and watching geologists work behind the fences was fascinating. One had found a bone, and she was so excited, she came over to show my kids! This is fantastic experience for couples, adults, and multi-generational families as well.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written March 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,274 reviews
Excellent
1,705
Very good
1,189
Average
326
Poor
34
Terrible
21

JS19772017
Dublin, Ireland65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
A unique place that you would never think would exist in the middle of LA. The kids loved this visit. The museum is very interesting and explains how the fossils came to be from animals over many years getting stuck in the natural tar in this area. Highly recommended.
Written October 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TNT
Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ99 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Couples
We went to the museum and the tar pits, learned a lot but it never felt like an overwhelming amount of information. Was bummed the observation pit was closed, but still plenty worthwhile. Free admission for military, which was awesome. Easily found free 4 hour street parking about half a mile down.
Written February 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chris l
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK486 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
this museum is interested, wierd to see a tar pit right in the heart of LA! tar pits are amazing and the museum was cool. lots of bones and info on animals of the past.
musuem is pretty small and doesnt take too long, there is a 3D movie to watch, but most of the fun is outside at the tar pits.
Written September 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelerWithOpinions
Boston, MA517 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
It's wonderful that the La Brea Tar Pits are considered a city park and are therefore free and open to the public. The signage is informative and fascinating, as is seeing places where tar is bubbling up. It's also so interesting to see the crates of fossils and more waiting to be studied!
Written June 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John M
Roseburg, OR194 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
Our first time visiting…also our last time. After paying $15 to park, we got our, walked around, read the signs at the various “pits” which look like ponds…some with bubbles coming up from the ground. If you’ve been to Yellowstone, this will be very disappointing to you. After walking around for about 20 minutes, we were all bored to tears, got in the car and left. We didn’t do the museum, just the tar pits, so I can’t speak to the museum but reading other reviews it sounds like that’s skip-worthy as well.
Written March 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynn P
Chanhassen, MN31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
Fossils and tar pits in the heart of the city! Such an amazing learning experience! Definitely recommend spending a few hours in the tar pits and the museum.

The tar pits are outside and a free park. The museum has an entrance fee. The combined experience helps paint a picture of life at the end of the ice age in LA.

There are windows to the scientists working on cleaning and preservation. The museum exhibits are well done to be fun, engaging, and educational.
Written March 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

spiwakj
Jacksonville, FL259 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
This was a terrific experience. You can actually view the tar pits in the outdoor area for no cost. It is very interesting. The fossil/fact tour by Reuben was wonderful and he answered many questions. The indoor museum has a few, and it is well laid out and worth the price. Park in the public lot if their lot is full. Lots of good places to eat within walking distance. It was an enjoyable experience.
Written October 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grover R
Pensacola, FL21,804 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
One of the places I had to see on my first visit to trip LA was one of the places I had to take my friends on this trip, the La Brea Tar Pits. While the stories of the pits fascinated me as a child, the visit is for any age. Rarely do you find places where oil makes it to the surface. However, it is even more amazing with that place is such a repository of fossil remains from thousands of years.

The museum is very interesting with a wall of Saber-tooth Tiger skulls and prehistoric animals. However, the park and grounds are equally interesting with displays to teach the formation of the ponds and the history for prehistoric to 20th century. The first thing you see is pond with decoy mammoths showing the struggle that so many animals faced. As you walk the grounds you will see smaller tar areas fenced and while they don't have creatures, they will have storyboards discussing how for 200 years Los Angeles residents have used the tar pits as a free source of asphalt and tar for roofs and road uses. For me it is both fun and educational. Everyone in our group enjoyed.
Written April 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

atlas993
Elk Grove, CA551 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
I don’t know what I expected, but it was less cool than I expected. Our kids are 4 and 9 and they weren’t that interested in any of it. It didn’t help that it was hot the day we went, which made it rough dragging them around to look at the different pits. If you’re in the area, I’d take a quick stop to look at the tar pits, but I don’t know if I would pay the money to go into the museum. It wasn’t worth the cost of admission.
Written December 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul W
Sheffield, UK153 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Friends
We are from the UK and were travelling around the US, when this location was recommended to us. To be honest, we weren't too sure about a visit, however we were very pleasantly surprised and glad that we did visit La Brea.

The place is very interesting and informative and the walking tour that we went on (included in the admission price) with a young (to us 60 somethings) lady was really enjoyable. Thank you!

You can also get re-admission on the same day with the wrist band.
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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