Reimagine | La Brea Tar Pits
Source: https://tarpits.org/reimagine
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:22
Reimagine | La Brea Tar Pits
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Reimagine
Reimagine the Future
A scientific marvel right in the heart of L.A.
A beloved destination for generations, La Brea Tar Pits is the richest Ice Age fossil site on Earth.
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, which oversees La Brea Tar Pits, is engaged in a multi-year plan to reimagine the 13-acre site, the first renovation in a half-century since the museum at La Brea Tar Pits opened to the public in 1977.
From the park to the exhibition spaces to research and collection facilities, the major transformation, led by architecture firm WEISS/MANFREDI, will invite visitors of all ages to better witness and engage with the scientific process and enjoy the beautiful grounds of this world-famous destination.
The creation of the new Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is a highlight of this reimagined campus. The scientific research hub, a landmark gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, will be the intellectual core of La Brea Tar Pits, illuminating how ancient ecosystems responded to climate change and mass extinction, and what those lessons mean for us today.
A renovated and expanded museum will bring more of La Brea’s incomparable collection to the public. The project will create a more integrated experience of both the museum and the landscape in Hancock Park—while retaining iconic features such as the museum’s historic frieze and enhancing accessibility to the beloved sloped grassy hills—as well as improve research and preservation facilities, increase community access, and develop a more sustainable infrastructure.
These architectural renderings are a window into our plans for the iconic museum and park, an unparalleled portal to the Ice Age. Highlights of this once-in-a-century project include:
A
new entry
on Wilshire Boulevard will define a welcoming threshold between Hancock Park and the rest of the city
A new, larger
theater
will increase capacity for a range of programs and events
Visible
labs and collections
areas, revealing how fossils are prepared for exhibit and stored
Indoor and outdoor
classrooms
that will deepen local support for public schools, students, and community-based organizations
As a site for community and culture, the museum’s Central Lawn and Loop will amplify the rich activities and events that take place in Hancock Park.
An elegant walking path will connect park to museum, giving visitors easy access to the museum’s main entrance and new vistas for enjoying the park.
A large flexible theater will greatly increase the capacity for programs, education, and events at the museum.
A new education grove will be an outdoor classroom that engages park visitors in the process of excavation.
A large renovated courtyard, along with other gathering spaces, will help expand the museum’s role as a formal and informal learning powerhouse for children, youth, and adults.
The museum and park at La Brea Tar Pits will be a spot for Angelenos and far-flung visitors to gather and celebrate into the evening.
1
of
1
As a site for community and culture, the museum’s Central Lawn and Loop will amplify the rich activities and events that take place in Hancock Park.
An elegant walking path will connect park to museum, giving visitors easy access to the museum’s main entrance and new vistas for enjoying the park.
A large flexible theater will greatly increase the capacity for programs, education, and events at the museum.
A new education grove will be an outdoor classroom that engages park visitors in the process of excavation.
A large renovated courtyard, along with other gathering spaces, will help expand the museum’s role as a formal and informal learning powerhouse for children, youth, and adults.
The museum and park at La Brea Tar Pits will be a spot for Angelenos and far-flung visitors to gather and celebrate into the evening.
A New Scientific Research Hub
The Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research
Discover More
The Process
The County of Los Angeles led the environmental review process for the La Brea Tar Pits Master Plan. We are committed to ensuring that this effort is open and inclusive.
Learn more
.
In the News
The latest media coverage about Los Angeles’s most iconic scientific, cultural, and community site.
Learn more
.
History of La Brea Tar Pits
From the first excavations more than a century ago to landmark designations to today's discoveries, dig into La Brea's fascinating timeline.
Learn more
.
Keep in touch with La Brea Tar Pits!
La Brea Tar Pits closes July 7 for a 2-year mammoth makeover. Experience L.A.’s most iconic destination before we get a little work done.
Learn More
.
SEE BELOW FOR ANSWERS TO OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
We are embarking on a complete transformation of our 13-acre site, which has not been renovated or updated comprehensively in 50 years. The project will create a more integrated experience of both the Page Museum and the landscape in Hancock Park, improve research and preservation facilities, increase community access, develop a more sustainable infrastructure, and create a more updated, immersive exhibition experience that better tells the story of Los Angeles at the end of the last Ice Age and the vital research that happens at La Brea Tar Pits.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026. Reopening of the full campus, including the Page Museum, is anticipated for 2028—in advance of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Yes. In phases during construction, there will still be educational experiences at the site, including ongoing excavation in public view at Project 23 and specially ticketed behind-the-scenes tours of the Tar Pits.
Some visitor experiences will move to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, including fossil specimens, performances and shows, public programs, and educator programs for teachers inspired by the La Brea Tar Pits' Ice Age research. Museum education teams will bring special presentations and activities to schools, and the La Brea Tar Pits Mobile Museum, which visits schools and other public places throughout Los Angeles County.
You can find our latest project updates on this page.
Our capital campaign is well underway, with a goal of $240 million.
To date, more than $131 million has been raised – 55% of the project goal of $240 million. This includes the transformational gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, lead support from Los Angeles County, the State of California, NHM‘s Board of Trustees, Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District, and other generous donors, including the Ahmanson Foundation, Joan Payden, and the Perlstein Family. Fundraising efforts are now focused on securing the funds necessary to break ground and position the project for completion in time for the Olympics in 2028.
Reimagining La Brea Tar Pits is a capital campaign separate from the general operating budget and does not impact the museum’s operating expenses.
La Brea Tar Pits is the world’s most important Ice Age fossil and research site and a world-renowned destination. This project will modernize collections storage and create state-of-the-art labs for on-site researchers. A more integrated, accessible, and advanced campus will revolutionize storytelling at the Tar Pits – better explaining how the site came to be, how it has evolved over the years, and why it is so important to our present and future ecosystems.
Your membership is actively supporting this important revitalization project! And despite the Page Museum being closed, our important Ice Age research will continue behind-the-scenes. Members will be able to see this work during our virtual Digging Deeper member appreciation events that happen quarterly. At NHM, members receive all the same benefits and can experience La Brea Tar Pits screenings, performances, and retail offerings. Thank you for your support!
The transformed Page Museum as well as the new Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research will expand educational access, workforce pathways, and community partnerships, especially for Los Angeles students and families. The Page Museum in particular will include a new theater, educational classrooms, and event and meeting spaces, which will be used by local community groups. The transformation includes improvements to Hancock Park that make it more inviting and accessible.
We have ambitious sustainability goals for the project, including key areas—energy/carbon, impact, water use, ecology/landscaping, waste, health and wellness, and equity. The plan is also environmentally beneficial through the use of native and adaptive plant species, light pollution and heat island reduction, and pollinator- and bird-friendly gardens.
More than a building, the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is a research-and program-driven entity woven throughout the Tar Pits campus and scientific work. Through international research partnerships, educational initiatives, and digital platforms, the Center will enable La Brea Tar Pits to better share discoveries, support collaboration, and position Los Angeles as a global hub for scientific discovery.
The Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is made possible by the extraordinary generosity of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation.
Yes, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has two locations: the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park.
Visitors will see more science in action, with more opportunities to observe excavations, engage with researchers, understand how discoveries are made, and see more of La Brea’s vast fossil collection.
A new museum entrance and tapered gallery window will frame views into the museum from the central green, while the renovated research labs, education spaces, and exhibition galleries bring close connections between science and discovery. The ascending crescent of sloped walkways introduces more accessible routes to the park’s beloved grass slopes, providing universal access to a roof terrace with views of the museum’s historic frieze and the Tar Pits Campus.
The full-scale renovation of the museum will modernize and improve access to the building, including a visionary new exhibition experience, visible research laboratories, new collections storage and displays, an immersive theater, and a roof terrace with views of the park and the museum’s historic atrium and frieze.
To prepare for the first major renovation of the George C. Page Museum since its opening in 1977, the museum will close to the public after July 6, 2026, for approximately two years.
Scientific work at La Brea Tar Pits will continue throughout the project. Researchers from the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research will remain active onsite, excavating fossils, advancing laboratory discoveries, caring for existing collections, and publishing studies that contribute to global understanding of the Ice Age and its relevance to our ecosystems.
The project improves and modernizes park access. A new 1-kilometer looping pedestrian walkway will weave past the bubbling lake pits and around the Civic Green, with new plantings of native species to tell the story of the Tar Pits from prehistoric time to our contemporary moment. There will be a new outdoor classroom to share discoveries in real-time.
Hancock Park will remain open throughout the transformation, with some partial closures in phases. Access to walking paths, green space, and outdoor features will be phased in coordination with construction.
Yes. New Pleistocene gardens at the Wilshire Boulevard entry and within the museum courtyard connect the landscape and ecology to the site's Ice Age history. The transformation will increase the amount of native, shady trees across our campus, including flora that flourished in the Ice Age, and other species resilient to our warming climate
La Brea Tar Pits will remain a public park, museum, and active excavation site open to all. Its identity as a neighborhood landmark and accessible cultural resource remains central to everything the institution does. Iconic features such as the museum’s historic frieze and beloved grass slopes are preserved and expanded while improving research and exhibition spaces, increasing community access, and creating a newly sustainable infrastructure.
Absolutely! When construction is complete, new walkways will introduce more accessible routes to the park’s beloved grass slopes, providing universal access to a roof terrace with views of the museum’s historic frieze and the Tar Pits campus.
We are prioritizing native and drought-tolerant trees, increased landscaping, and improved park access. Some trees, especially diseased or non-native trees, will be removed. When the project is complete, there will be more mature trees and the landscaping will be shadier, more drought-tolerant, and more sustainable.
It is staying put! We know that Angelenos connect with this iconic feature, and we love it too. A more accessible park will make it even easier to enjoy.
Skip to main content
Reimagine
Reimagine the Future
A scientific marvel right in the heart of L.A.
A beloved destination for generations, La Brea Tar Pits is the richest Ice Age fossil site on Earth.
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, which oversees La Brea Tar Pits, is engaged in a multi-year plan to reimagine the 13-acre site, the first renovation in a half-century since the museum at La Brea Tar Pits opened to the public in 1977.
From the park to the exhibition spaces to research and collection facilities, the major transformation, led by architecture firm WEISS/MANFREDI, will invite visitors of all ages to better witness and engage with the scientific process and enjoy the beautiful grounds of this world-famous destination.
The creation of the new Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is a highlight of this reimagined campus. The scientific research hub, a landmark gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, will be the intellectual core of La Brea Tar Pits, illuminating how ancient ecosystems responded to climate change and mass extinction, and what those lessons mean for us today.
A renovated and expanded museum will bring more of La Brea’s incomparable collection to the public. The project will create a more integrated experience of both the museum and the landscape in Hancock Park—while retaining iconic features such as the museum’s historic frieze and enhancing accessibility to the beloved sloped grassy hills—as well as improve research and preservation facilities, increase community access, and develop a more sustainable infrastructure.
These architectural renderings are a window into our plans for the iconic museum and park, an unparalleled portal to the Ice Age. Highlights of this once-in-a-century project include:
A
new entry
on Wilshire Boulevard will define a welcoming threshold between Hancock Park and the rest of the city
A new, larger
theater
will increase capacity for a range of programs and events
Visible
labs and collections
areas, revealing how fossils are prepared for exhibit and stored
Indoor and outdoor
classrooms
that will deepen local support for public schools, students, and community-based organizations
As a site for community and culture, the museum’s Central Lawn and Loop will amplify the rich activities and events that take place in Hancock Park.
An elegant walking path will connect park to museum, giving visitors easy access to the museum’s main entrance and new vistas for enjoying the park.
A large flexible theater will greatly increase the capacity for programs, education, and events at the museum.
A new education grove will be an outdoor classroom that engages park visitors in the process of excavation.
A large renovated courtyard, along with other gathering spaces, will help expand the museum’s role as a formal and informal learning powerhouse for children, youth, and adults.
The museum and park at La Brea Tar Pits will be a spot for Angelenos and far-flung visitors to gather and celebrate into the evening.
1
of
1
As a site for community and culture, the museum’s Central Lawn and Loop will amplify the rich activities and events that take place in Hancock Park.
An elegant walking path will connect park to museum, giving visitors easy access to the museum’s main entrance and new vistas for enjoying the park.
A large flexible theater will greatly increase the capacity for programs, education, and events at the museum.
A new education grove will be an outdoor classroom that engages park visitors in the process of excavation.
A large renovated courtyard, along with other gathering spaces, will help expand the museum’s role as a formal and informal learning powerhouse for children, youth, and adults.
The museum and park at La Brea Tar Pits will be a spot for Angelenos and far-flung visitors to gather and celebrate into the evening.
A New Scientific Research Hub
The Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research
Discover More
The Process
The County of Los Angeles led the environmental review process for the La Brea Tar Pits Master Plan. We are committed to ensuring that this effort is open and inclusive.
Learn more
.
In the News
The latest media coverage about Los Angeles’s most iconic scientific, cultural, and community site.
Learn more
.
History of La Brea Tar Pits
From the first excavations more than a century ago to landmark designations to today's discoveries, dig into La Brea's fascinating timeline.
Learn more
.
Keep in touch with La Brea Tar Pits!
La Brea Tar Pits closes July 7 for a 2-year mammoth makeover. Experience L.A.’s most iconic destination before we get a little work done.
Learn More
.
SEE BELOW FOR ANSWERS TO OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
We are embarking on a complete transformation of our 13-acre site, which has not been renovated or updated comprehensively in 50 years. The project will create a more integrated experience of both the Page Museum and the landscape in Hancock Park, improve research and preservation facilities, increase community access, develop a more sustainable infrastructure, and create a more updated, immersive exhibition experience that better tells the story of Los Angeles at the end of the last Ice Age and the vital research that happens at La Brea Tar Pits.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026. Reopening of the full campus, including the Page Museum, is anticipated for 2028—in advance of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Yes. In phases during construction, there will still be educational experiences at the site, including ongoing excavation in public view at Project 23 and specially ticketed behind-the-scenes tours of the Tar Pits.
Some visitor experiences will move to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, including fossil specimens, performances and shows, public programs, and educator programs for teachers inspired by the La Brea Tar Pits' Ice Age research. Museum education teams will bring special presentations and activities to schools, and the La Brea Tar Pits Mobile Museum, which visits schools and other public places throughout Los Angeles County.
You can find our latest project updates on this page.
Our capital campaign is well underway, with a goal of $240 million.
To date, more than $131 million has been raised – 55% of the project goal of $240 million. This includes the transformational gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, lead support from Los Angeles County, the State of California, NHM‘s Board of Trustees, Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District, and other generous donors, including the Ahmanson Foundation, Joan Payden, and the Perlstein Family. Fundraising efforts are now focused on securing the funds necessary to break ground and position the project for completion in time for the Olympics in 2028.
Reimagining La Brea Tar Pits is a capital campaign separate from the general operating budget and does not impact the museum’s operating expenses.
La Brea Tar Pits is the world’s most important Ice Age fossil and research site and a world-renowned destination. This project will modernize collections storage and create state-of-the-art labs for on-site researchers. A more integrated, accessible, and advanced campus will revolutionize storytelling at the Tar Pits – better explaining how the site came to be, how it has evolved over the years, and why it is so important to our present and future ecosystems.
Your membership is actively supporting this important revitalization project! And despite the Page Museum being closed, our important Ice Age research will continue behind-the-scenes. Members will be able to see this work during our virtual Digging Deeper member appreciation events that happen quarterly. At NHM, members receive all the same benefits and can experience La Brea Tar Pits screenings, performances, and retail offerings. Thank you for your support!
The transformed Page Museum as well as the new Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research will expand educational access, workforce pathways, and community partnerships, especially for Los Angeles students and families. The Page Museum in particular will include a new theater, educational classrooms, and event and meeting spaces, which will be used by local community groups. The transformation includes improvements to Hancock Park that make it more inviting and accessible.
We have ambitious sustainability goals for the project, including key areas—energy/carbon, impact, water use, ecology/landscaping, waste, health and wellness, and equity. The plan is also environmentally beneficial through the use of native and adaptive plant species, light pollution and heat island reduction, and pollinator- and bird-friendly gardens.
More than a building, the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is a research-and program-driven entity woven throughout the Tar Pits campus and scientific work. Through international research partnerships, educational initiatives, and digital platforms, the Center will enable La Brea Tar Pits to better share discoveries, support collaboration, and position Los Angeles as a global hub for scientific discovery.
The Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research is made possible by the extraordinary generosity of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation.
Yes, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has two locations: the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park.
Visitors will see more science in action, with more opportunities to observe excavations, engage with researchers, understand how discoveries are made, and see more of La Brea’s vast fossil collection.
A new museum entrance and tapered gallery window will frame views into the museum from the central green, while the renovated research labs, education spaces, and exhibition galleries bring close connections between science and discovery. The ascending crescent of sloped walkways introduces more accessible routes to the park’s beloved grass slopes, providing universal access to a roof terrace with views of the museum’s historic frieze and the Tar Pits Campus.
The full-scale renovation of the museum will modernize and improve access to the building, including a visionary new exhibition experience, visible research laboratories, new collections storage and displays, an immersive theater, and a roof terrace with views of the park and the museum’s historic atrium and frieze.
To prepare for the first major renovation of the George C. Page Museum since its opening in 1977, the museum will close to the public after July 6, 2026, for approximately two years.
Scientific work at La Brea Tar Pits will continue throughout the project. Researchers from the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research will remain active onsite, excavating fossils, advancing laboratory discoveries, caring for existing collections, and publishing studies that contribute to global understanding of the Ice Age and its relevance to our ecosystems.
The project improves and modernizes park access. A new 1-kilometer looping pedestrian walkway will weave past the bubbling lake pits and around the Civic Green, with new plantings of native species to tell the story of the Tar Pits from prehistoric time to our contemporary moment. There will be a new outdoor classroom to share discoveries in real-time.
Hancock Park will remain open throughout the transformation, with some partial closures in phases. Access to walking paths, green space, and outdoor features will be phased in coordination with construction.
Yes. New Pleistocene gardens at the Wilshire Boulevard entry and within the museum courtyard connect the landscape and ecology to the site's Ice Age history. The transformation will increase the amount of native, shady trees across our campus, including flora that flourished in the Ice Age, and other species resilient to our warming climate
La Brea Tar Pits will remain a public park, museum, and active excavation site open to all. Its identity as a neighborhood landmark and accessible cultural resource remains central to everything the institution does. Iconic features such as the museum’s historic frieze and beloved grass slopes are preserved and expanded while improving research and exhibition spaces, increasing community access, and creating a newly sustainable infrastructure.
Absolutely! When construction is complete, new walkways will introduce more accessible routes to the park’s beloved grass slopes, providing universal access to a roof terrace with views of the museum’s historic frieze and the Tar Pits campus.
We are prioritizing native and drought-tolerant trees, increased landscaping, and improved park access. Some trees, especially diseased or non-native trees, will be removed. When the project is complete, there will be more mature trees and the landscaping will be shadier, more drought-tolerant, and more sustainable.
It is staying put! We know that Angelenos connect with this iconic feature, and we love it too. A more accessible park will make it even easier to enjoy.