Natural History Museum | Exploring LA

 

As the summer heat rises & ignites the endless quest for air conditioning to ease discomfort, we sought refuge in one of Los Angeles' most impressive halls of learning, the Natural History Museum. Wedged between USC & the Coliseum, the NHM has housed its immense collection of gems (literally & figuratively) since 1913.

 

With a mission to "inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds," you can find yourself lost for hours deep within some of the finest displays of science, history, culture & art. 

Exhibits on exhibits on exhibits... from the Nature Lab to the Insect Zoo, live animals & bug archives,  butterfly pavillion & edible garden. One day of exploration almost isn't enough to take it all in.

The Gem & Mineral Hall looks like something straight out of an aspiring rapper's nightly dreams. Over 2,000 specimens of rare gems from Quartz to meteorites that have actually rocketed down to earth from the outer cosmos. 

The taxidermy displayed in the Mammal Halls reach an untouched level of incredible. Larger than life scenes catapult you into actual animal habitats from around the globe.

Some mind expansion from the G Pen Elite helped enriched the viewing experience, especially the 63-foot-long Fin Whale skeleton suspended high up in the rafters.

In the "Dino Lab" guests can witness Paleontologists do what they do with real dinosaur fossils, some dating back 230 million years.

Hypercarnivorous bone-crusher vs. immense three-horned herbivore... Tyrannosaurus Rex against Triceratops. This legendary prehistoric battle scene is one of the most recognizable areas of museum. Although extremely impressive, it's far from the only Dinosaur remnants on display.

A seemingly endless collection of animal & insect samples grace every inch of space in the Discovery Center with no shortage of interactive activities to keep the children entertained.