Los Angeles, CA (January 13, 2026) — The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) announced the schedule for its 20th anniversary of First Fridays, the Museum’s revered once-a-month seasonal evening series featuring a mix of science, live music, signature cocktails, pop-up events, and more.
This year’s First Fridays season reflects on the two decades of NHM’s status as the premier destination for Museum nightlife, celebrating the historic milestone by both expanding and bringing back one of the most beloved (and requested) features — live musical performances in the iconic mammal diorama hall.
These intimate performances in the most unique venue in Los Angeles have previously included now-massive artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, and Father John Misty. This year’s lineup of tastemaking artists from around the globe will be complemented by a DJ lounge in the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Hall of African Mammals alongside First Fridays’ signature discussion series in the NHM Commons Theater.
This year’s discussion series is presented in collaboration with the Planetary Program at the Berggruen Institute and moderated by trusted science communicator and neuroscientist Dr. Yewande Pearse. Each program features engaging conversations with scientists and topic experts from NHM and across the country.
The season begins on February 6 with a discussion on “Life at the Human Scale,” with each progressive month viewing the topic of “life” through an increasingly wider lens. The kickoff panel will explore how human health, identity, and biology are shaped by the unseen life people rely on every day, and how those relationships challenge the understanding of what it means to be human.
As always, the four springtime events will include the opportunity to grab a cocktail and a bite to eat from NHM’s two bars and rotating selection of local food trucks while gaining access to special pop-up experiences with museum experts, local vendors and more throughout the museum. Each event will feature a series of engaging onsite lectures, music, art, vendors, and performances aimed at bringing together diverse audience communities to explore questions about the musical and natural world.
First Fridays events run from 6 pm until 10 pm. Tickets for each event go on sale roughly a month beforehand and cost $30 each. Museum Members receive discounted admission ($20) and exclusive early entry to First Fridays at 5:30 pm, with a priority entry line. A new “Silver Package” is also available for $75, which features parking, reserved seating for the discussion, and guaranteed entry into the live music hall.
More information is available at nhm.org/firstfridays.
First Fridays 2026 is sponsored by the Berggruen Institute.
About the Natural History Museums
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) include the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park. Welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors annually — including more than 140,000 schoolchildren — the museums and the 35 million objects in their collections offer extensive and comprehensive libraries of natural and cultural history for guests, as well as groundbreaking scientific and historical research. NHMLAC also leads the natural and cultural exploration of Los Angeles County, offering a slate of community science and cultural programs both onsite and around the area. The museums help foster revolutionary community partnerships, innovative STEAM pathways, transformative community science programs, and cutting-edge research on climate and global change.
About the Berggruen Institute
The Berggruen Institute develops foundational ideas to shape the future, building new conceptual frameworks that transcend academic disciplines and cultural boundaries while connecting a global network of thinkers to generate ideas with real-world impact. Working across philosophy, governance, science, and culture, the Institute advances critical inquiry into the forces reshaping society. Within this work, the Planetary program addresses the political, philosophical, and institutional challenges of an interconnected Earth system, recognizing that issues such as climate change, technological systems, and ecological breakdown exceed national borders and require a fundamental rethinking of politics, responsibility, and interdependence at a planetary scale.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Amy Hood
213-763-3532
ahood@nhm.org
Josh Chesler
213-763-3580
jchesler@nhm.org