Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Review

The completed renovation of the museum's 1913 Beaux Arts building sets the stage for new visitor experiences leading up to the centennial in 2013.

In summer 2011 the new Dinosaur Hall opened, featuring more than 300 fossils, 20 full-body specimens, manual and digital interactivity, and large-format video, as well as a T. rex series that includes adult, juvenile, and baby specimens. At press time, an exhibit focusing on the natural and cultural history of Southern California dating from prehistoric times to modern-day Hollywood was expected to open in late 2012.

The museum has the same quaint feel of many natural history museums, with enclosed dioramas of animals in their natural habitats. But it mixes it up with interactive displays such as a seasonal Butterfly Pavilion in a separate small building in front of the museum; The Discovery Center, where kids can touch real animal pelts; the Insect Zoo; and their Dino Lab, where you can watch actual paleontologists work on dinosaur fossils.

In addition, there are also exhibits typifying various cultural groups, including pre-Columbian artifacts and a display of crafts from the South Pacific as well as marine-life exhibits.