Excavations | La Brea Tar Pits
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Excavations
Exhibitions
Fossil Lab
What happens after the fossils at La Brea Tar Pits are excavated? This is where you find out.
3D Theater
Travel back in time with
Titans of the Ice Age
Events
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LBTP
Tours & Activities
Kids & Family
Adults
Excavator Tour
The Excavator Tour explores the Fossil Lab where real paleontologists work, our historic excavation sites, and Project 23, where live excavations can be seen.
daily
through
07/06/26
2:00 pm
LBTP
Tours & Activities
Discoveries From
the Tar Pits
Join a Museum Educator to hear about exciting discoveries from the Tar Pits! These 20-minute presentations highlight what we can learn at the Tar Pits, followed by a Q&A opportunity. Topics are always changing.
daily
through
07/06/26
4:00 pm
LBTP
Tours & Activities
Kids & Family
Adults
Excavator Tour
The Excavator Tour explores the Fossil Lab where real paleontologists work, our historic excavation sites, and Project 23, where live excavations can be seen.
daily
through
07/06/26
2:00 pm
LBTP
Tours & Activities
Discoveries From
the Tar Pits
Join a Museum Educator to hear about exciting discoveries from the Tar Pits! These 20-minute presentations highlight what we can learn at the Tar Pits, followed by a Q&A opportunity. Topics are always changing.
daily
through
07/06/26
4:00 pm
LBTP
Tours & Activities
Kids & Family
Adults
Excavator Tour
The Excavator Tour explores the Fossil Lab where real paleontologists work, our historic excavation sites, and Project 23, where live excavations can be seen.
daily
through
07/06/26
2:00 pm
Stories
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A Decade of Discoveries for 10 Years of Dino Fest
To mark 10 years of Dino Fest, we're looking back at 10 of the colossal discoveries by NHM researchers from the Age of Dinosaurs
More than a rock
Our intrepid colleague's dig diary from her fossil-finding expedition to Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.
Meet Teratorn, the Largest Bird Found at La Brea Tar Pits
The teratorn was undoubtedly big, but was it a big vulture or something else?
Mark Dion Talks
Excavations
Mark Dion discusses his immersive, uncanny installation at La Brea Tar Pits.
Spaceport Fossils from French Guiana
How one small step for a spaceport in French Guiana led to a giant leap for Pleistocene fossils
A Landmark Anniversary for La Brea Tar Pits
Mark the 60th anniversary of La Brea Tar Pits' designation as a National Natural Landmark with some vintage photography.
Discover more
Samuel Oschin Global Center
for Ice Age Research
Samuel Oschin Global Center
for Ice Age Research
A New Scientific Research Hub
Saber-toothed Summer Self-Guided Tour
Smilodon
for the camera and capture some purrfect pics on this selfie scavenger hunt. Discover everything there is to know about the fearsome feline with the killer canines only at La Brea Tar Pits.
Future Paleontologist
Dig up the past as you discover the science of the fossil’s journey from excavation to our col
Our Expeditions
Our goal is to foster integrative research collaborations at asphaltic fossil localities around the world.