BE ADVISED: On Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, nearby events at Exposition Park and the University of Southern California will impact traffic, parking, and wayfinding in the area. Please consider riding the Metro E (Expo) Line and exiting at USC/Expo station.

Photo of the tar pits fossil lab collection

Behind the Scenes at La Brea Tar Pits

We have millions of specimens in our collections, from sabertooth bones, to microfossils, to bits of local L.A. history. Most of our collections are behind the scenes! Take a deep dive into our collections both on display and beyond.

Photo of microfossils being sorted in the Tar Pits micro lab

Prehistoric Plants Unlock Ice Age Secrets

Investigate the Ice Age

In Our Collections

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Microfossils are meticulously sorted through microscopes before we store them in our collections.
bat flying through trees

We Found Bats Living at La Brea Tar Pits!

Take flight