Cities/Los Angeles/Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

4.8(14K)google

4.4(1.5K)yelp

Adult $18·Senior(62+) $14·Student $14·Youth(13-17y) $14·Child(3-12y) $7·Infant(under 2) FreeUSD

NatureFossilsFamily

Overview

Situated in Exposition Park, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is the largest natural and historical museum in the western United States. The museum's spectacular Dinosaur Hall features a world-class growth series of T-rex skeletons, captive fossil labs, and striking prehistoric displays. Beyond paleontology, visitors can explore shimmering gem and mineral galleries, lifelike dioramas of African and North American mammals, and nature gardens that reveal the dynamic, shifting biodiversity of urban Los Angeles.

Practical Info

900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA

Mon9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Tue9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Wed9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Thu9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Fri9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Sat9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Sun9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Suggested Duration2-3 hours

Best TimeVisiting on weekdays between 1.30 PM and 4:00 PM allows you to completely bypass morning school field trips. This provides a peaceful atmosphere to appreciate the towering T-Rex skeletons in the Dinosaur Hall and spectacular mammal dioramas.

Getting ThereLocated within Exposition Park. Taking public transit is highly recommended: ride the Metro E Line to Expo Park / USC or Expo / Vermont Station, then walk 3 minutes across the lawn. Drivers can use Exposition Park's paid surface parking lots.

(213) 763-3466

nhm.org/

Travel Tips

The museum is located within Exposition Park directly bordering USC; if an NCAA Trojan football game or a BMO Stadium stadium event matches your date, access roads face hard lockdowns and park lots inflate to $50 flat rates, requiring thorough stadium calendar cross-checking.
LA County residents access general exhibits uncharged from 03:00 PM to 05:00 PM on weekdays; however, premium features like the seasonal Butterfly Pavilion or the Dinosaur Lab vault strictly demand purchasing localized secondary timed ticket add-ons online.

Photo Tips

Best Light• 【Time Windows & Photography】The central Otis Booth Pavilion dinosaur duel skeleton (T-Rex vs. Triceratops) sits beneath a massive glass skylight that casts messy vertical bone shadows at noon; time your framing past 03:30 PM for highly angled, filtered light that renders clean structural definition.

Reviews

Positive

The Dinosaur Hall is a crown jewel; three T-Rex skeletons of different ages are mounted together for world-class visual awe.
The Gems and Minerals hall displays massive, sparkling raw crystals and meteorites that are utterly breathtaking.
The Nature Gardens and seasonal Butterfly Pavilion are highly interactive, ideal for families seeking immersive education.
Set in Exposition Park next to California Science Center, with direct Metro E Line rail access and wide, scenic grounds.

Heads up

Some legacy mammal taxidermy dioramas feel dated; their lighting and formatting lack modern interactive multimedia.
Weekend foot traffic is massive; the Dinosaur Hall fills with rowdy kids, dampening quiet reading of interpretive signs.
The on-site cafe has limited options, mostly cold sandwiches and fast food, which are overpriced and mediocre; packing food is advised.
When Exposition Park hosts Los Angeles FC soccer games, nearby parking structures spike to extortionate event rates.