Two Los Angeles Museums That You Must Visit

We are so fortunate to live in California where there are so many cool things within driving distance!
Two of the best museums in the state are both in Los Angeles, and we want to inspire you to plan a fun AND educational family trip.

The first must-visit museum is the La Brea Tar Pits.
Right in the middle of urban Los Angeles, these tar pits have trapped and preserved animals and plants for thousands of years and it is still an actively excavated Ice Age fossil site.
You can see the tar pits outside and the fossils that have been discovered inside the museum.

There are several scenes of what life would have looked like here thousands of years ago,

and this wall shows some of the MANY skulls that have been retrieved.

There is also a 3D theatre and live theater shows!
Outside, you can look at the actual tar pits and learn about how the fossils are excavated.

And you can even see live excavations!

What a great opportunity for first-hand learning!

The second must-visit museum is the California Science Center.
This is where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is on display, and it is mind blowing!

It’s fascinating just to walk around and look at it and take in the sheer size, but there are also exhibits that teach you all about the science behind the space shuttle and what life was like for people in it.

You can also see the massive external tank that helped it blast into space.

The museum is worth visiting just to see Endeavour, but there is SO much more!
There is room after room of interactive science exhibits – in fact, we spent a whole day there and didn’t get to see everything!

The California Science Center also has excellent special exhibits and an IMAX theatre.

Admission to the California Science Center is free, but you have to make a reservation to see Endeavour and some special exhibits require an additional ticket.
Admission prices for La Brea Tar Pits vary based on day of attendance, but they do offer free admission on the first Tuesday of every month.

We highly recommend planning a little trip to let your family experience these excellent museums!