Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County Announce Holiday Programming
Exciting events for the whole family are happening this holiday season at the Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and the William S. Hart Museum.
Los Angeles, CA, December 18, 2018— This holiday season at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Exposition Park and at La Brea Tar Pits in Mid-Wilshire, there are new exciting attractions for the whole family. At NHM, come face-to-face with a life-size LEGO build of the velociraptor “Blue” from Jurassic World, discover the shimmering science behind jewelry designed by renowned artist Paula Crevoshay, view an astounding exhibition of wildlife
photography, see an original costume from 1924’s Peter Pan, and watch a 3D film! At La Brea Tar Pits and Museum become immersed in the new installation of Mammoth and Mastodons with life-sized models and hands-on interactives.
Here’s everything that’s happening this holiday season:
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM (Exposition Park)
LEGO Jurassic World Big Build
On view starting Saturday, December 8
This could be the perfect holiday photo backdrop! Stop by a life-size Jurassic World LEGO installation, which is made of over 700,000 LEGO pieces and weighs 3,560 lbs! The model shows Blue, the super intelligent velociraptor that Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) had a special bond with, atop an overturned vine-and-moss-covered jeep.
Free with museum admission.
Art of the Jewel: The Crevoshay Collection
Opening Friday, December 7
Journey through the masterpieces of jewelry designer Paula Crevoshay, as we witness the transformation from mineral to gem to jewel. NHM’s Gem and Mineral Vault will feature over 50 luxurious pieces of jewelry—including earrings, bracelets, and brooches—made of California tourmaline, Montana sapphire, moonstone, pearl, and black diamond, among others, accompanied by loose gems and minerals from the Museum’s collections. Inspired by Crevoshay's passion for art, science, and the natural world, the designs take the shape of plants, animals, and insects, like orchids, spiders, and butterflies. Discover the natural process of mineral creation, the characteristics that define a gem, and the art that transforms them into elegant jewels.
Free with museum admission.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
On view now through January 6, 2019
NHM’s temporary exhibition is a spectacular showcase of the world’s best nature photography. The annual competition challenges participants—young, old, professional, or amateur—to submit imaginative and technically courageous images that capture the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is produced and developed by the Natural History Museum, London.
Free for Members and children 12 and under. .
New NHM 3D Theater
Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet
Now through January 31, 2019
Go further into the ocean’s depths than ever before. Travel beneath the surface in this 3D oceanic adventure, narrated by Kate Winslet. Explore a vast uncharted world of vibrant coral cities, enchanted underwater forests, and deep waters.
Oceans 3D tells untold stories of the sea's most astonishing creatures. Swim along leaping dolphins, sea otters, sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Dive around coral reef ecosystems, and journey to the depths of the ocean floor and find some of the most extreme and most exotic animals ever discovered. (Run time: 25 minutes)
Incredible Predators
December 10, 2018–June 2019
In our new 3D Theater, catch a screening of Incredible Predators, which deconstructs the world of major predators as never before and takes an intimate look at the remarkable strategies they use to succeed. Advanced filming techniques expose the planet’s top predators in extraordinary footage, putting the audience right beside them as they hunt—on land, under the sea or in the air.
Top predators occupy an apex position within the habitats they dominate and, alongside dramatic animal behavior, Incredible Predators reveals the unique relationship between predators and prey as a fundamental building block of ecology. (Run time: 25 minutes)
All 3D films are Free for Members.
Becoming Los Angeles
On view now
This newly reimagined permanent exhibition tells the story of how Los Angeles transformed into a sprawling metropolis. It’s the local saga of how L.A. went from cowboys to cars, which battles raged in its backyards, why an aqueduct changed everything, and the diverse Angelenos, past and present, who made it happen. See the newest addition to the exhibition—actress Betty Bronson's original costume from 1924’s Peter Pan—and learn about how Hollywood was born.
Watch community leaders share what it means to be an Indigenous Californian living in L.A. today, hear the audio recordings of Museum visitors who came before you, and share your story about what L.A. is to you.
Free with museum admission.
Earth Works: Mapping the Anthropocene
On view now through January 22, 2019
Earth Works: Mapping the Anthropocene is presented by USC Fisher Museum of Art in collaboration with NHM. NHM presents the 11 feet by 16 feet Jakobshavn I by artist Justin Brice Guariglia—depicting one of Greenland’s fastest-melting glaciers. Visit this inspiring work and spark your own conversation about the dawn of this new age, climate change, and human impact on the planet.
Free with museum admission.
LA BREA TAR PITS (Mid-Wilshire / Hancock Park)
NEW! Mammoths and Mastodons
Opening Friday, December 21
This December, the museum at the La Brea Tar Pits totally changes its visitor experience with a new installation focusing on mammoths and mastodons based on a traveling exhibit organized by Chicago’s Field Museum. New experiences include life-sized models, hands-on interactives, and the latest discoveries and research relating to these extraordinary Ice Age animals—found both at the Tar Pits and around the world. This interactive experience invites visitors into the world of titans that lived across Asia, Africa, Europe, the L.A. Basin and California’s Channel Islands before they went extinct thousands of years ago.
Free with museum admission.
Titans of the Ice Age 3D
Daily screenings
Journey to a world lost in time, buried in ice, and ruled by giants. In this exciting 3D adventure, discover an icy world on the brink of extinction, where humans share the frozen tundra with majestic beasts. Encounter some of the Earth’s most awe-inspiring mammals, from saber-toothed cats and dire wolves to giant sloths and the iconic mammoths that lived 10,000 years before modern civilization. See how these magnificent creatures became trapped in tar, preserved in time, and are being unearthed today.
All 3D films are Free for Members.
WILLIAM S. HART MUSEUM (Newhall)
Open House Saturday, December 29 11 am–4 pm
Get ready for 2019 by joining the William S. Hart Museum for an Open House! Visit stations around the museum to learn about all the different ways the New Years holiday is celebrated throughout the world, and participate in a New Years-related craft.
Free. For more information, call (661) 254-4584 or visit facebook.com/hartmuseum.
MEMBERSHIP
Give the gift of museums and consider a membership that gives you unlimited access to the Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and William S. Hart Museum year-round and supports our mission. Mention the promotion code GIFTMEM20 online or at the door to receive 20% off your membership.
ABOUT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (NHMLAC)
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) include the Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and the William S. Hart Museum. They operate under the collective vision to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. The museums hold one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history—more than 35 million objects. Using these collections for groundbreaking scientific and historic research, the museums also incorporate them into on- and offsite nature and culture exploration in L.A. neighborhoods, and a slate of community science programs—creating indoor-outdoor visitor experience that explore the past, present, and future.
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Facebook: @nhmla | @tarpits | @hartmuseum
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Twitter: @nhmla | @labreatarpits | @hart_museum
Media Contact: Sally Marquez 213.763.3580 smarquez@nhm.org