La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
4.5
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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Neighborhood: Mid-Wilshire
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- TravelerWithOpinionsBoston, Massachusetts517 contributionsFascinating!!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 2023Written June 7, 2023
- Bunty8United Kingdom631 contributionsInterestingThis 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 2023Written July 3, 2023
- Paul WSheffield, United Kingdom153 contributionsWorth a visit if you are in the areaWe 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 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 19, 2023
- spiwakjJacksonville, Florida259 contributionsExcellent 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 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 30, 2023
- Jim FGreensburg, Pennsylvania195 contributionsIce Age revisitedThe 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 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 2, 2023
- Brandon KFlagstaff, Arizona1,911 contributionsGreat museum but very good overall experienceI 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 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 12, 2023
- Kevin BMount Juliet, Tennessee3,585 contributionsSo 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 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 12, 2023
- Bobby31225Bullhead City, Arizona1,880 contributionsWorth 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 2024Traveled with friendsWritten March 3, 2024
- MichellescottrnPhoenix, Arizona135 contributionsGreat educational museum and tons of local fossilsWonderful, 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 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 3, 2024
- Heather JohnsonSterling, Illinois49 contributionsLa 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 2023Traveled with familyWritten March 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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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
3,274 reviews
Excellent
1,705
Very good
1,189
Average
326
Poor
34
Terrible
21
JS19772017
Dublin, Ireland65 contributions
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Chuck C
Hacienda Heights, CA
how much is the ticket?
Sorry I didn't see this. I don't remember much of a fee.
Kelly J
United States77 contributions
Does the outside portion have different hours than opening at 9:30 a.m. like the museum?
Inspire787185
Dallas, TX2 contributions
Are all areas wheelchair and walker friendly
Statenali
Westminster, CO84 contributions
If I remember correctly, most areas are.
Chantelle M
Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
besides the farmers market, is there a cafe inside or close by that we can grab some lunch within a short walking distance?
motorcar1
Dublin, Ireland14,156 contributions
There is a nice Starbucks down the street and many others cafes and coffee shops. The Petersen Auto Museum has a real nice coffee shop and it’s nearby.
Chantelle M
Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
how much time should i allocate to see the pits and museum?
John F
Auckland Central, New Zealand213 contributions
Depending on the age of the group I suggest 2 hours plus. If you take part in any of the guided activities or watch the movie then allow more. For food we recommend going up Fairfax Ave for a few blocks to the LA Farmers Market. This is a real gem, has plenty of fantastic food, handmade ice cream and lots and lots of shade.
volcanogirl
Houston, TX15,827 contributions
I was reading some of the reviews online and saw photos of an open pit with bones that you can look down into. It looked like an active dig site. Is that still open? Where is it? We just visited and never saw anything like that even though we took the guided tour. We saw Project 23, but everything was in boxes there.
Roberta P
55 contributions
We were there first week in July we saw open digs not sure why you didn’t!
janine m
New Plymouth, New Zealand64 contributions
hi - does anyone know if there is free wifi @ the tar pits - thank you
Robert O
Los Angeles, CA95 contributions
I don't think so -- I didn't see any signs for free wifi and it's not referenced in their site. On that note my cell phone reception at the museum was a bit slow - with text messages delayed.
ElizabethGT
Dublin, OH191 contributions
Is there any problem getting a parking space in the lot? We will be going around 10 a.m. on Saturday. Thanks for any advice!
JandAinAZ
Chandler, AZ50 contributions
There is a large parking lot behind the museum. It is not free to park in it though. I think it was $12. You can also park on the streets around it but it is tight around there and there are meters. There is no time limit to park in the parking lot, just until the museum closes. There are also another museums or two next to the pits so if you wanted to look into them you could leave your car in the lot and just walk to them as well.
Carol/Joe
Wilmington, Delaware12 contributions
We have a 9 hour layover in LAX, actually less after going through customs, and we would like to see La Brea Tar Pits during that time. About how much could we expect to spend for a Uber or Taxi ride there from LAX, (it's 10 miles). Also, are there lockers at LAX for us to stow our carry-on bags, outside of security because we'll be coming from the international terminal and we would want to stow them before we go through security at the domestic terminal. We don't land until 11:40 so figure it takes us 1 hour minimum to get through customs, we wouldn't leave the airport until probably at least 1:00 and they close at 5:00, would that work?
sgathright1
Spring, TX71 contributions
Hi Carol/Joe,
Not sure on the lockers at LAX, but being such a big airport, I bet they have something available. Might check the airport website on that one.
As far as the Tar Pits are concerned, I think you should have plenty of time. LA traffic is unpredictable, but you've given yourself a big enough window to do the Tar Pits and LACMA, if you wanted to (next to each other).
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