Overview
The La Brea Tar Pits sit in the middle of Hancock Park, a grassy urban oasis in the heart of the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles. The site is one of the most significant paleontological locations on Earth: natural asphalt seeps have been trapping and preserving animals and plants for tens of thousands of years, yielding more than 3.5 million Ice Age fossils to date.
The George C. Page Museum, operated by the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, displays a large portion of those finds and offers visitors a window into the science of active excavation. Unlike most fossil sites, La Brea continues to produce new specimens every year, including the ongoing Project 23 excavation that began when a nearby parking structure was developed.
The outdoor park surrounding the pits is free to enter and features observation areas above active bubbling asphalt pools, life-size mammoth sculptures, and interpretive signage. The museum itself requires a separate admission ticket—verify current fees and hours on the official NHM website before your visit.
The entire experience is genuinely accessible to a wide range of visitors: families with young children, school groups, geology enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the deep past of the land beneath one of the world's most famous cities.
Before You Go
Tickets and Reservations
Admission fees apply to the museum building. The outdoor Hancock Park grounds are free and open during park hours. Timed entry or advance online booking is sometimes required or recommended, particularly on weekends and during summer. Check the official La Brea Tar Pits website (tarpits.org) for current pricing, hours, and any reservation requirements before you go.
What to Wear and Bring
- Comfortable, closed-toe shoes are advisable; the park paths can become sticky near active seeps, especially in warm weather.
- Sunscreen and a hat if you plan to spend time in the outdoor areas—shade is limited in parts of the park.
- The museum is air-conditioned, which is welcome on hot Los Angeles days.
Accessibility
The museum and most park paths are wheelchair accessible. Contact the museum in advance or check the official site for specific accessibility details and available accommodations.
Visa Context
La Brea Tar Pits is located in Los Angeles, California, and is subject to US entry requirements. For visa guidance, check TravelerPulse's Visas section and consult the official US Customs and Border Protection or Department of State websites for the most current requirements relevant to your nationality.
Getting There
By Car
The museum address is 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Paid parking is available in a lot adjacent to the site. Street parking in the surrounding Miracle Mile neighborhood exists but can be competitive, especially on weekends.
By Public Transit
Los Angeles Metro Bus routes serve Wilshire Boulevard directly. The Metro D Line (Purple Line) subway, currently being extended, has stations in the broader Mid-Wilshire area—verify the nearest operational station and any service updates on the Metro website (metro.net) before travel. Several bus lines run along Wilshire Blvd and are a practical option for visitors staying in Hollywood, Downtown, or West LA.
By Rideshare
Uber and Lyft drop-off and pick-up are straightforward along Wilshire Blvd. This is a reliable option given the parking situation on busy days.
From Major Hubs
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is roughly 10–14 miles west, depending on traffic. Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) is approximately 15 miles north. Travel time by car can vary significantly with LA traffic; budget extra time accordingly.
Things to See & Do
Inside the George C. Page Museum
- Fossil preparation lab (Fishbowl Lab): Observe paleontologists and volunteers cleaning and cataloguing real fossils through a glass window—one of the most distinctive features of the museum.
- Fossil displays: Assembled skeletons of mammoths, saber-toothed cats (Smilodon fatalis), dire wolves, ground sloths, and other Pleistocene megafauna fill the main galleries.
- Project 23 exhibit: Showcases ongoing excavation work and the extraordinary finds recovered from beneath the adjacent parking structure.
- La Brea Woman: Learn about one of the few human remains recovered from the pits, estimated to be around 9,000 years old.
In the Outdoor Park
- Walk the perimeter of the large active pit (Pit 101) and watch the natural asphalt continue to bubble to the surface.
- View the iconic life-size Columbian mammoth sculptures at the edge of the lake feature near the museum entrance.
- Read interpretive panels explaining the geology and ecological history of the site.
- The park is a pleasant green space and connects to the broader Miracle Mile cultural corridor.
Nearby Cultural Institutions
The park sits immediately adjacent to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), making a combined visit easy and worthwhile. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is a short walk east along Wilshire Blvd.
Food & Drink
There is no full-service restaurant inside the museum, though a small café or snack options may be available—verify on the official site. The outdoor park area has some seating suitable for a packed lunch.
The Miracle Mile stretch of Wilshire Blvd and the surrounding Fairfax and Mid-Wilshire neighborhoods offer numerous dining options within easy walking distance or a short rideshare ride. The Fairfax Avenue corridor to the east features a range of casual eateries, coffee shops, and the historic Farmers Market at 3rd and Fairfax, which has dozens of food stalls representing many cuisines and is open daily (verify current hours locally).
Visitors with specific dietary needs will find Los Angeles broadly accommodating, with many restaurants clearly labeling vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options throughout the area.
Practical Information
Emergency and Medical
For emergencies in the US, dial 911. The nearest hospitals and urgent care facilities are spread across the Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown areas; verify the closest option via Google Maps or ask hotel staff if needed.
Connectivity
Free Wi-Fi is available inside the museum. Mobile coverage in outdoor areas is generally strong given the urban setting.
Photography
Photography for personal, non-commercial use is generally permitted in the museum and park. Flash photography near specimens may be restricted—look for posted signage.
Family and Group Visits
- The site is well suited to families; children tend to find the bubbling tar and large skeletons engaging.
- School and group programs are available; book in advance through the museum's education department.
- Audio guides and printed guides may be available—confirm at the admissions desk.
Gift Shop
The museum has a gift shop with books, fossils, educational toys, and branded merchandise. No purchase is required to visit.
Safety
The La Brea Tar Pits and surrounding Hancock Park are located in a well-maintained, heavily visited urban area and are considered safe for tourists during normal visiting hours. Standard urban precautions apply: keep an eye on personal belongings, particularly in busy outdoor areas.
Do not touch or step into the asphalt seeps. Natural asphalt is extremely sticky and difficult to remove from clothing and footwear. Fencing and barriers exist around active pits for good reason—respect them.
Wilshire Blvd is a busy arterial road; use marked crosswalks when moving between the site and nearby destinations such as LACMA.
Local Culture & Etiquette
The La Brea Tar Pits represent a remarkable intersection of scientific significance and urban life. The site has been known to Indigenous Tongva (Gabrieleño) people long before European settlement, and the tar itself was historically used as a waterproofing material.
Scientific excavation began in earnest in the early twentieth century, and the site has since become globally recognized within the paleontology community. The continued active excavation distinguishes La Brea from most natural history museums—this is not a finished collection but a living research site.
Vistors should approach the experience with the same respect they would give any working scientific institution. The fossils on display and in the labs represent irreplaceable records of life during the last Ice Age, and the researchers and volunteers working at the site are engaged in genuine, ongoing scholarship.
