Natural History Museum Los Angeles

There is no denying how much this family loves dinosaurs. When one of us picks up a new obsession we ALL go in on it! So when the Natural History Museum Los Angeles invited us to check out their new Arctic Dinosaur exhibit, at the height of our dino craze, it felt, well, NATURAL!

…”we were off on an expedition to explore…”

We spent the afternoon exploring all the museum had to offer. We started in the Dino Hall where the kids encountered all of their favorite dinosaurs. I noticed right away the placement of the artifacts in the Dino hall were very well thought out and kid friendly. Upon entering, the kids came face to face with a t-rex fossil and walked under the enormity of a brontosaurus. Of course, they wanted to touch all the fossils! As we walked through the kids discovered an alcove with fossils embedded that were meant to be touched and that quickly satisfied their desire. At this age the littles wont retain the exact name of the dinosaurs they encountered but the immersive experience of fossils being at their eye level and being able to touch replicas is an experience they won’t forget.

We moved through to see the new Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibit but, as per usual, the kids needed a snack. The museum has counter service dining at the NHM Grill. It was conveniently located next to the Antarctic Dinosaur exhibit, so we stopped for a quick refueling before heading off into the arctic. The grill offers made to order hot food as well as grab and go sandwiches and salads. The little kids shared a hot dog and fries while Vie tried a generously sized pizza and I had a fresh citrus avocado salad. Everything was great! Service was quick and we were able to get back to exploring in no time. If you’re planning on packing a lunch, they also have plenty of beautiful outdoor places to picnic!

As we entered the Arctic Dino exhibit, there is great information on the continent of Antarctica and how Pangea became the continents we know today. The littles were too young for this information but it was very interesting and appropriate for my 9 year old. The littles were entertained enough with the interactive maps and projections to let us read and gather information. Then the kids boarded a plane and we were off on an expedition to explore the Arctic! Walking through each carefully curated room was like being on a real arctic expedition! Most impressive was entering into the room of a life sized dinosaur! Antarctic Dinosaurs is a separate ticketed event running now through January 5th.

Next we left the Arctic to explore the butterfly pavilion. Guides are provided with pictures of all the butterflies in the habitat. The kids could not believe the close encounters and had so much fun finding each butterfly! our visit became a most beautiful game of I Spy. The butterfly pavilion is a separate timed ticketed event. They begin on the hour and half hour. You are allowed 30 minutes. I thought it was just enough time to spend with the butterflies. I can’t think of another place in Los Angeles where you can get this experience with such close encounters! A definite must do for any butterfly enthusiast! When visiting, keep in mind that the Butterfly pavilion is seasonal and runs through until September 2nd.

After the butterflies we were still in a buggy mood. Lucky for us we visited during Bug Fest! Bug Fest is an annual event celebrating all things bugs! The mammal halls are lined with booths displaying different bugs and even selling them to unsuspecting parents or bug lovers alike. The kids loved looking at all the bugs they would normally make them cringe, in a positive and festive environment. Bug Fest opened up their curiosity to bugs! So much, we came home with our own silk worms!

Our day at the Natural History Museum was incredible! There was SO much to see! We spent 6 hours there and it honestly was not enough. We will definitely be back to visit the dinosaurs and check out the Dino Lab we couldn’t get to this time. A membership would be well worth the price with how much there is to see and do!

The Natural History Museum is open daily from 9:30 am – 5pm . I will link their website here for tickets. There is 1$ off online or you can call (213) 763-DINO for tickets and information.