Los Angeles, CA (January 30, 2025)—The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) announce their slate of spring and summer programming for the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park. This mix of family-friendly and adult programming and events features a wide range of exhibitions, hands-on activities, talks, and performances both in-person and online. In addition, NHMLAC community scientists will spearhead a number of research initiatives and expeditions open to the public that will highlight the Museums’ ongoing impact and discoveries and allow Angelenos to get involved.
Below is a list of currently-scheduled* programming and exhibitions. Visit NHM.ORG and TARPITS.ORG for future updates and more information.
*All programs and events are subject to change. Check our websites for the latest information and updates
Natural History Museum
NHM Commons—The new wing and community hub in Exposition Park successfully opened in November last year, drawing a large number of visitors. Celebrating the intersection of science, nature, and culture, this unique outside-inside experience features 75,000 square feet of new and refreshed spaces, including many free experiences. See Gnatalie, a 70-foot green-boned sauropod. Get up close to L.A. artist Barbara Carrasco’s landmark mural, L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective, and see an exhibition of notable specimens found by local community scientists and collected and researched by our own scientists. In addition, NHM Commons features:
- The new, beautifully landscaped NHM Community Plaza and Museum entrance
- A multi-purpose theater with mission-aligned programs, films, and performances
- The expansive Judith Perlstein Welcome Center with new exhibits, displays and ticketing desks for visitors and Members
- A new grab n’ go cafe on the plaza run by South LA Cafe
- A locally-inspired Museum shop.
- NHM Commons Press Images
Ocean Encounters—Fun, educational, and interactive, the new Ocean Encounters live performance features life-size sea creature puppets for a prehistoric undersea adventure. Ocean Encounters is family-friendly, and each performance is about 20 minutes long. More information is available at nhm.org/oceanencounters.
Schedule: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 am and 11:30 am
Admission: $10 per person + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: Ocean Encounters
T. REX 3D Film—This captivating science adventure celebrates the greatest of all tyrants, starring NHM’s own Thomas the T. rex. The big screen production on this iconic dinosaur—and its carnivorous Cretaceous cousins—aims to be the most dazzling and accurate T. rex documentary ever made. More information is available at nhm.org/TREX3D.
Schedule: Showtimes vary by day
Admission: $10 per person + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: T. REX 3D Film
Collective Knowledge from Our Changing World—Now open alongside the new NHM Commons, Collective Knowledge invites visitors to take a fresh look at NHM’s collections through the lens of photographer Craig Cutler. Twelve large-scale photographs bring objects and specimens to life, and behind-the-scenes stories highlight some of the incredible research taking place every day. More information is available at nhm.org/collectiveknowledge.
Schedule: Showtimes vary by day
Admission: Free with admission
Images: Collective Knowledge
Animals Alive!*—Every week, meet our Living Collections team and their furry, scaly, slimy, or leggy friends that help make L.A. a biodiversity hotspot—along with creatures from all over the planet. Discover how they survive in our sprawling city as well as habitats across the globe, and what we can all do to help protect our animal neighbors. More information is available at nhm.org/animalsalive.
Schedule: Wednesdays, 10:30 am and 11 am
Admission: $5 or free for Members
*Animals subject to change
Collections Revealed—Every week, explore the 99% of Museum Collections not on display that drive research and discoveries at NHM and across the globe. From tiny marine invertebrates and extraordinary artifacts to newly described species and the oldest things on Earth, get an up-close look at the rarely seen Museum Collections we study and care for. More information is available at nhm.org/collectionsrevealed.
Schedule: Thursdays at 11 am
Admission: Free with paid admission or free for Members.
LA on Wheels (Ongoing Web Series)—This year-long series of stories and experiences focuses on the diverse communities of Los Angeles through the lens of wheels. Throughout 2025, NHM will continue its Being LA series with monthly videos elevating the people, history, and movement of wheels with onsite programs and events. More information is available at nhm.org/la-on-wheels
Butterfly Pavilion—Walk among beautiful butterflies in our seasonal Butterfly Pavilion. This outdoor exhibition features hundreds of butterflies, colorful native plants, and plenty of natural light to help you see these creatures shimmer. With lots of flight space and a variety of resting spots, come get one of the best views in Los Angeles of these amazing insects. More information will be available at nhm.org/butterflies.
Schedule: March 23 through August 24, 2025
Admission: $10 + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: Butterfly Pavilion Press Images
How Can Our World Rethink Climate Mobility?—A panel conversation and after-hours reception featuring local artists and celebrating the diversity and resilience of Los Angeles. Speakers include artist Tanya Aguiñiga, paleobotanist and curator Regan Dunn, climate mobility scholar Liliana Gamboa, and New Nomad Institute co-founder Badruun Gardi. They’ll discuss what it would take to build a more interconnected, resilient, and nomadic world on the international, community, and individual levels. Co-presented by Zócalo Public Square and Carnegie California, in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Flavors from Afar. More information is available at nhm.org/climatemobility.
Schedule: February 6, 2025, from 7–9:30 pm
Admission: Free with RSVP
Discussion Series: Elephant in the Room—A bold new annual discussion series that tackles the Museum’s most thought-provoking topics. Explore NHM’s iconic 100-year-old diorama halls after hours with Elephant in the Room, this engaging program pulls back the curtain on the artistry, science, and controversies surrounding the museum’s beloved installations, providing a platform for dialogue and discovery. The inaugural series takes inspiration from NHM’s latest exhibition, Reframing Dioramas: The Art of Preserving Wilderness, offering a fresh perspective on these iconic and historic displays.
Schedule: February 27, March 13, and March 20, 2025
Admission: $20 General Admission or $15 for Members
First Fridays | AMPLIFIED—The popular after-hours Museum event is back, with live music, DJs, topical discussions, signature cocktails, pop-up experiences, and much more. Join us this season as we tap into our relationship with music and how it affects our bodies and our lives. Come by each month for an evening full of dancing, drinks, and one-of-a-kind presentations you won’t find anywhere else. More information is available at nhm.org/firstfridays.
Schedule: March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6. From 5 to 10 pm.
Admission: $20 for Non-members | Free for Members
Images: First Fridays
First Fridays is sponsored by Two Point Museum and KCRW, in partnership with IAMSOUND.
Earth Month—Celebrate Earth Month with NHMLAC. In addition to our annual Earth Day celebration on April 19, we’ll also debut a new environmental film series called Green Screen. The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County protect and share more than 35 million specimens and artifacts, the largest natural and cultural history collection in the western United States. By understanding the world around us, past and present, we gain a better appreciation for our planet and for all who share it. More information is forthcoming.
Schedule: April (Earth Day is April 19, Green Screen is April 10, 17, 24)
Admission: Free with Museum admission | Free for Members (Except Green Screen)
Images: Earth Day Press Images
City Nature Challenge —Every April, just in time for Earth Day, this popular community science global initiative returns, now in its 10th year! Participants the world over are invited to document nature in their own cities with smartphones and cameras to help scientists better understand local biodiversity. Learn more at nhm.org/citynaturechallenge.
Schedule: April 25 - April 28, 2025
Images: City Nature Challenge
Bug Fair —Join NHM for a two-day festival celebrating our winged, multi-legged, and squirmy friends for the 39th annual Bug Fair! Visit a variety of exhibitors and see everything from exotic insect collections to unique and cool bug-related products. More information is available at nhm.org/bugfair.
Schedule: May 17 & 18
Admission: Free with Museum admission | Free for Members
Images: Bug Fair
Reframing Dioramas: The Art of Preserving Wilderness—The Natural History Museum’s historic diorama halls are the largest exhibitions at the Museum, showcasing over 75 incredibly detailed habitats ranging from arctic tundra to tropical rainforest. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dioramas, NHM is restoring and reopening a diorama hall that has been closed for decades. There, visitors will experience immersive new installations — by artists RFX1 (Jason Chang), Joel Fernando and Yesenia Prieto (working as a three-artist team), as well as Saul Becker and Lauren Schoth — that call attention to dioramas as a unique combination of art and science and explore biodiversity, ecology, conservation, colonialism, and changing museum display techniques. This exhibition is part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide. More information is available at nhm.org/reframingdioramas.
Schedule: On view through September 14, 2025
Admission: Free with Museum admission
Images: PST | "Reframing Dioramas" at NHM
WOLVES: Photography by Ronan Donovan—Created in collaboration by National Geographic and National Museum of Wildlife art, this exhibition features the captivating work of National Geographic Explorer and photographer Ronan Donovan, who has spent years documenting the lives of wild wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Ellesmere Island in the high Canadian Arctic. Through stunning images and videos, visitors will gain an unparalleled glimpse into the daily lives of wolves, highlighting the stark contrast between those living in human-dominated landscapes and those in untouched wilderness.
Schedule: On view through June 22, 2025
Admission: Free with Museum Admission
Images: Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan Press Images
Nature Gardens Exploration—Swing by the Nature Gardens to dive into Nature Garden Explorations, tours led by Museum Educators and focused on topics such as birding, bug netting, nature journaling, and ponding. Topics rotate over the course of the year, so be sure to check online to see which explorations are currently available. More information is available at nhm.org/naturegardens.
Schedule: 11 am on weekends, meet near the pond in the Nature Gardens
Scanning Electron Microscope Demonstration—Visit the Mineralogy Lab in the back of the Gem & Mineral Hall to see a live demonstration of NHM’s Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in action from our Curator of Polychaetes, Dr. Kirk Fitzhugh. This is a unique opportunity to get a real-life glimpse into technology often reserved for the world’s top laboratories (and often seen in movies).
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 am
Admission: Free with Museum Admission
Unearthed: Raw Beauty—A new gem exhibition is coming to NHM this summer. It will feature some of the most spectacular mineral specimens and is made possible by a generous contribution of loaned specimens from Dr. Robert Lavinsky's renowned collection. More information is forthcoming.
Schedule: Opening August 2025
Cats Exhibition (Details TK)—Also this summer, NHM will present an exhibition exploring the diversity of cats. Featuring a fascinating array of incredible mounted specimens, interactive displays, and cultural belongings offers an up-close-and-personal experience, highlighting cats’ beauty, diversity, and predatory skills as well as the importance of conservation. More information is forthcoming. More information is forthcoming.
La Brea Tar Pits
SoCal Museums’ Free-For-All Day—La Brea Tar Pits is excited to once again participate in SoCal Museums' annual Free-for-All on Saturday, March 2. On this day, over 30 museums in Southern California representing art, cultural heritage, natural history, and science will open their doors and invite visitors to attend free of charge. Advance ticket reservations are required. More information is forthcoming.
Schedule: Saturday, March 2; 9:30 am–5 pm
Girls in STEM Day—La Brea Tar Pits invites girls ages 8–18 to participate in STEM activities and explore future career paths in fun and engaging ways. This educational event and celebration will include a STEMinist Fair, Women in STEM stage discussion, live music, photo booth, raffle and Collections tables hosted by our friendly scientists. More information is available at tarpits.org/girlsSTEM.
Schedule: Saturday, March 22; 12 pm–4 pm
Mark Dion: Excavations—Mark Dion’s immersive, uncanny installation at the La Brea Tar Pits, Excavations, evokes a behind-the-scenes museum space, displaying new work alongside early museum murals, dioramas, and maquettes of Ice Age mammals in a playful, irreverent presentation in keeping with his meticulous yet mischievous approach. Dion’s 10-foot-long sculpture of a fossil pack rat skeleton stands atop a mix of natural and cultural detritus from the Tar Pits and the Hancock Park neighborhood. Additionally, six new drawings by Dion of mammal skeletons commonly found in the Tar Pits—artworks labeled with the names of locally important scientists, artists, historical figures, and landmarks. This exhibition is part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide.
Schedule: On view through September 14, 2025
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. More information about excavations is available at tarpits.org/experience-tar-pits/excavations.
Schedule: 1 pm on weekdays; 10:30 am & 1 pm on weekends
Discoveries from the Tar Pits—Drop by to learn some of the lesser-known stories of the Tar Pits, including active research and recent discoveries. Topics change daily.
Schedule: 3:30 pm daily
Ice Age Encounters—Encounter the Ice Age as we dig into the past to uncover the mysteries of some of the extinct creatures who roamed Ice Age Los Angeles over 10,000 years ago. Experience this dynamic, 15-minute show featuring a life-size adult saber-toothed cat puppet, a live performance, and film projections that bring the distant past to life. This one-of-a-kind multimedia performance transports guests back in time to come nearly face-to-face with a moving, roaring extinct saber-toothed cat. Performed in an intimate theater setting, this show is great for the whole family and children of all ages. More information is available at tarpits.org/iceageencounters.
Schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 and 11:30 am, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Admission: $6 per person in addition to Museum admission or free with membership
Images: Ice Age Encounters
Dino Encounters is sponsored by Superior Grocers.
*Please note: The saber-toothed cat puppet is very large and may be frightening to some children.
Museum Admission - NHM and La Brea Tar Pits
Members - FREE
Adult — $18.00
Senior (62+) — $14.00
Student — $14.00
Children (3 – 12) — $7.00
Children 2 and under – FREE
Unless otherwise noted, all events are included in the price of admission or free for members.
Admission is always free for NHMLAC Members, California Pre K–12 teachers with ID, Active or retired United States military with ID, CA EBT cardholders with ID, and USC Students and Faculty with ID. In addition, L.A. County residents receive free Museum Admission from 3-5 pm Monday through Friday.
Community Science Volunteer Opportunities
Big Bee Bonanza: Bee populations have been decreasing in numbers and diversity all over the world. Exactly why is a global mystery, but museum collections like NHM's might have some of the answers. You can help researchers understand just what's happening to these insects that are so crucial to food production in the human and natural worlds in the Big Bee Bonanza. We need your assistance in digitizing more than a century's worth of bees. Together, we can help scientists and policymakers get the data they need to keep bees buzzing.
City Nature Challenge—Every April, just in time for Earth Day, this popular community science global initiative returns, now in its 10th year! Participants the world over are invited to document nature in their own cities with smartphones and cameras to help scientists better understand local biodiversity. This year will also feature an organized habitat survey at Elephant Hill with NHM’s Community Science team. Learn more at nhm.org/citynaturechallenge.
Schedule: April 25–April 28, 2025 (Elephant Hill Habitat Survey on April 26)
Images: City Nature Challenge
Project Phoenix: Investigating Bird Responses to Smoke: Due to the unprecedented fires led, this bird community science project by Drs. Allison Shultz and Olivia Sanderfoot is seeking volunteers outside of traditional fire season. While the health effects of smoke inhalation in humans have been well-documented, we do not know how our increasingly intense and frequent smoke events are affecting birds, and this new project seeks to fill the gaps in our knowledge and help protect these beloved animals.
SNERCH (Formerly SnailBlitz): NHM’s annual community science slugfest returns from February 1 to March 31. The search for snails and slugs known as SNERCH asks for volunteers to scour Southern California for snails and slugs during the two-month run and share photographs of as many of the slimy critters as they can find. Past contributions have uncovered non-native and endangered species. Whether they’re in your backyard, at the local park, or along the trail of your favorite hike, every snail or slug photographed will help NHM scientists like Twila Bratcher, Chair in Malacological Research and Associate Curator of Malacology Dr. Jann Vendetti, learn more about the biodiversity of Southern California. Snerch is part of the larger SLIME (Snails and Slugs Living in Metropolitan Environments) project on iNaturalist. More information at nhm.org/snail-search.
Backyard Bats: The Bat Roost Count is a community science project led by Miguel Ordeñana and other bat scientists that monitor bat roost sites—where bats rest during the day—to count how many emerge as dusk drifts into night. On August 10 and 11, community scientists will join experts from the SoCal Bat Working Group at one of eight roosts to conduct evening observations. The project currently focuses on the L.A. River, San Gabriel River, and other locations in LA County.
Research Initiatives
California Insect Barcoding Initiative—NHM researchers and their collaborators have set their sights on documenting California’s insect biodiversity before it’s too late by barcoding every species of insect in the state. Led by Megan Barkdull (one of two new Entomology Curators at NHM), Austin Baker, and Giar-Ann Kung CIBI program.
Marine Biodiversity—Leslie Harris, NHM's Senior Collections Manager in Polychaetes, is participating in research about marine biodiversity off the coast of Ilo, Peru. Harris and fellow researchers in the U.S. and Peru are surveying the populations of coastal marine invertebrates—crabs, worms, starfish, clams, and other spineless critters—using the power of iNaturalist to share observations and identify species living in the intertidal and subtidal areas there. Harris has also created an iNaturalist project with the aim of assembling observations of species living within the temperate current stretching from southern Ecuador through Chile.
Antarctic Dinosaur Discussion in Omaha—The Director and Curator of The Dinosaur Institute at NHM, Dr. Nate Smith, is headed to the Durham Museum in Omaha to give a presentation on the traveling Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibition on the evening of March 31.
Philosophy of Biological Systematics Course —Dr. Kirk Fitzhugh is teaching his international post-graduate course, Philosophy of Biological Systematics, via Zoom in June and July 2025. This course from NHM’s Curator of Polychaetes is the only one available worldwide that critically evaluates perspectives and popular methods in biological systematics according to principles of philosophy of science.
Microplastics and Fsh—Two NHMLAC scientists, Bill Ludt, Assistant Curator of Ichthyology, and Aaron Celestian, Curator of Mineral Sciences, have been awarded a $357,564 two-year grant from California Sea Grant and the California Ocean Protection Council to study microplastic consumption over time in California fishes using the Museum's specimens. Ludt and Celestian will be looking at potential differences in microplastic consumption in southern versus northern California from 1940 to the present, and analyzing the chemical composition of the plastics and, potentially, identifying their sources. This is believed to be the first study of microplastics in Museum fish collections going back in time that focuses on the Pacific Ocean.
MEDIA CONTACT
For interviews and imagery, please contact:
Josh Chesler
213-763-3580
jchesler@nhm.org