Natural History Museum

About 95% of the year, Los Angeles affords us with perfect adventure and exploring weather – sun shining bright, a cool ocean breeze every now and then, and a comfortable temperature at around 70 degrees. But, during the other 5% when the sky is gloomy and rain is pounding, most of us (myself included) would rather nix the adventures and stay inside with hot chocolate and Netflix. This winter, though, I’m on a mission to continue my adventures indoors because a little rain shouldn’t stop me from doing what I do best…exploring! I am collaborating with the L.A. Tourism Board (@DiscoverLA on Instagram) on their #InsideLA campaign, which includes a “101 Things to Do in L.A. On a Rainy Day” list. I’ll be photographing and sharing a variety of fun experiences with my blog readers and with their 1 million+ social media fans over the next two months. Such a fun and exciting opportunity!

As part of the #InsideLA collaboration with @DiscoverLA, I was able to explore the acclaimed Natural History Museum (NHM) with one of my best friends Dacia. Museums make for the perfect rainy day adventure and we’re lucky that we’re not short on museums to visit in Los Angeles! I’ve explored LACMA, The Broad, Getty Villa, Getty Center, Grammy Museum, and Hollywood Museum, and there are still SO many more I need to check out! The Natural History Museum has been on my LA bucketlist since moving here, so I was pretty stoked to finally make it here. The NHM is home to some amazing exhibits including the Dinosaur Hall, the Hall of Gems and Minerals, Age of Mammals, Becoming Los Angeles, beautiful outdoor gardens, and so much more. Because large museums like this can tend to be overwhelming for some (myself included), I love that the NHM offers a 1-Hour Guide here if you are short on time or are only interesting in seeing the top/most popular exhibits.

So, I think we can all agree that dinosaurs are pretty freakin’ cool. It’s crazy to think that 100 million years ago these gigantic creatures roamed our Earth. True story: growing up I was in love with dinosaurs and the Jurassic Park movies. I had a small green dinosaur figurine that I named Dino (I know, so original) and carried him around with me everywhere in 4th grade. Writing this out makes me feel (and probably sound) like I was an insane 9 year-old (…and I’m not totally denying it), but man, I loved that Dino. All of my friends and teacher, Mrs. Davis, even knew and appreciated Dino. Anyway – back to the NHM – based on the fun fact I just shared, I was most excited about seeing the highly acclaimed dinosaur exhibit! Located on the first floor of the museum, Dinosaur Hall, has become known as one of the most extraordinary dinosaur exhibits in the world. This 14,000 square foot exhibit is home to more than 300 fossils, 20 complete dinosaurs, and some giant sea creatures. Dinosaur Hall is home to the world’s only T-Rex Growth Series, which highlights the way this dinosaur changes over time, from just a baby, to a teenager, to an adult. Trust me when I say it all looks JUST as cool, if not cooler, than it sounds!

Also, because I am in love with all things Los Angeles, I have to say somethin’ about the “Becoming Los Angeles” exhibit. This exhibit tells a 500-year story about how the City of Angels grew from a tiny pueblo to one of the biggest cities in the country. The exhibit has 6 main sections: the Spanish Mission Era, the Mexican Rancho Era, the early American Period, the emergence of a new American city in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, the Great Depression, and World War II to present. 

Most definitely a worthwhile #InsideLA activity when it rains, I’d recommend any LA local or tourist explore the NHM if you get the chance or are in the area. A healthy dose of history is good for us all – and here you’ll be mesmerized by more than 35 million objects in total, some as old as 4.5 billion years. It’s a great adventure for when it’s gloomy/cold/wet outside, and most of Los Angeles agrees with me that it’ll be worth your while – it has an impressive 4.5 star rating on Yelp.

General Admission tickets to the NHM are $12 and $9 for students - click here to purchase your tickets. Open daily from 9:30AM-5:00PM, The Natural History Museum is located at 900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007. Parking is available onsite for $10 per car. Go and get yo’ history on!