LA BREA TAR PITS AND MUSEUM IN LOS ANGELES

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum are a Must-See in Los Angeles

The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is a hidden gem in the middle of Los Angeles. The museum is dedicated to the study and exhibition of Pleistocene fossils, which are fossils from the last ice age. The tar pits are still active and there is even an excavation site where you can see archeologists at work. The museum also has a hands-on lab where you can both touch and smell real tar!

The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is a great place to learn about the history of Los Angeles and the surrounding area. The tar pits have been around for thousands of years and have preserved the remains of many different animals. The museum itself is very interactive and educational, making it a great place to bring kids. It’s also located in Hancock Park, which is a beautiful park to walk around in.

How Were the Tar Pits Formed?
The La Brea Tar Pits are a group of asphalt lakes located in Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California. They were formed over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age when natural gas seeped up through cracks in the earth and bubbled to the surface. The gas then became trapped by the falling snow, which turned into ice. As the ice melted, it released the gas, which then bubbled up and coated anything nearby with asphalt—hence why they’re called “tar” pits.

Over time, many animals—including saber-toothed cats, mammoths, dire wolves, and ground sloths—became trapped in the tar pits while they were hunting or looking for water. Because tar is an excellent preserver of organic material, their remains were fossilized and preserved. Today, these fossils provide scientists with valuable information about what life was like during the last ice age.

The Excavation Site
One of the coolest parts of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is that you can actually see archeologists at work at the excavation site. They are constantly finding new fossils, which are then taken to the museum’s laboratory to be cleaned and studied. You can also watch them clean fossils in the laboratory through a glass window. This is a great opportunity to learn about how archeologists work and what they do with all of the fossils they find.

If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do in Los Angeles, be sure to check out the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. You’ll learn about LA’s history, see real tar pits, and even watch Archeologists at work!