Two weekends ago, my parents came to visit me here in LA. We had such a wonderful time. It was nice to be a tourist for a weekend and see the city of Los Angeles through fresh eyes. On Sunday, we went to the La Brea Tar Pits, an absolute must-see in LA.
For tens of thousands of years, tar has been seeping up through the ground in what is now called Hancock Park which was built around the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits. This tar was often covered with water, and when the animals would go to drink the water, well, they would get stuck in the tar and would die a horrible, horrible death. Horrible for them, but educational for us. The tar preserved their bones over the years and now the the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits located in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, is recognized for having the largest and most diverse assemblage of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world.
Inside the Page Museum....
Scientists working inside what is referred to as the Fishbowl.
Columbian Mammoth
Outside in Hancock Park...
Crates full of fossil deposits, otherwise known as Project 23
Pit 91 Excavation Site
Tar seeping up from under the ground
Life-size pre-historic animals can also be found throughout the park.
Top of the 9000 sq foot Atrium.
Looking down into the Atrium from the upper deck.
Here I am jumping off the roof of the Atrium...well not really,
but we got some cool shots thanks to the forced perspective.
Happy Dad & Mom
You can see a lot just by touring Hancock Park: the tar pits, Pit 91, Project 23, looking down into the Atrium, and this is all FREE and open to the public. Admission to go inside the Page Museum is free for Children 4 and under, $5 for Children 5-12, $8 for Youths 13-17, College students w/ ID, and Seniors (62+) and Adults are $11.00.
Admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month, except for July and August.
