Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Entry

Nestled in Exposition Park, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM, L.A.) is not just a museum—it’s a voyage through time, a safari across continents, and a shimmering gem of discovery. Home to over 35 million specimens and artifacts, this sprawling institution invites visitors of all ages to marvel, explore, and get curious. Whether you’ve ever wondered what roamed this land in the Ice Age, how crystals form, or what makes cats wild and wonderful, NHM has something that’ll stop you in your tracks.

What You Will Experience

• Dinosaur Hall
  Stand face-to-face with towering skeletons—more than 300 fossils including 20 massive mounted dinos—and walk the paths of giants from epochs gone by.

• African & North American Mammal Halls
  Step into lifelike dioramas that whisk you to sweeping plains and dense forests—think majestic lions, mighty bears, graceful antelope—all preserved with almost cinematic realism.

• Gem & Mineral Hall
  Glittering with over 150,000 specimens, this hall is a cathedral of colors. Gold, diamonds, rarities from the earth—each stone tells its own story.

• Fierce! The Story of Cats (Special Exhibit, through Feb 18, 2026)
  From sabertooth to house kitty, this immersive, interactive exhibition explores all things feline—behavior, evolution, biology, and the deep connection between cats and humans.

• Nature Gardens & Nature Lab
  Outside it’s a living exhibit: native plants, buzzing pollinators, birdlife, and quiet trails. Indoors, Lab spaces let kids experiment, observe, and participate in hands-on nature science.

• “Becoming Los Angeles” & Regional Stories
  These galleries dig into the people, places, and changes that shaped the city—its landscapes, cultures, and environmental shifts. A reminder that this museum is not just global, but deeply local too.