Originally published at: https://geektherapy.org/nhmlac-announces-summer-and-fall-programming-for-natural-history-museum-and-la-brea-tar-pits/
Author: Newsroom
Los Angeles, CA (May 2, 2025) — The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) announce their slate of spring and summer programming for the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park. This mix of family-friendly and adult programming and events features a wide range of exhibitions, hands-on activities, talks, and performances both in-person and online. In addition, NHMLAC community scientists will spearhead a number of research initiatives and expeditions open to the public that will highlight the Museums’ ongoing impact and discoveries and allow Angelenos to get involved.
Below is a list of currently-scheduled* programming and exhibitions, as well as community science projects, research initiatives and new curator announcements. Visit NHM.ORG and TARPITS.ORG for future updates and more information.
*All programs and events are subject to change. Check our websites for the latest information and updates
Natural History Museum
Fierce! The Story of Cats — From ferocious tigers to beloved pets, Fierce! The Story of Cats is the exciting new exhibition coming to NHM that will encourage guests to immerse themselves in the captivating world of cats. This temporary exhibition explores the diversity of cats — their behaviors, unique biology and complex relationship with humans. Spanning continents and the ages, Fierce! includes an array of incredible mounted specimens, interactive displays and cultural objects inspired by cats, offering an up-close-and-personal experience, highlighting cats’ beauty, diversity and predatory skills, all while illuminating the importance of protecting the world’s wild cats and their habitats. Tickets go on sale May 15 and more information is available at nhm.org/cats.
Schedule: July 13 – February 18 (Member Previews July 11-12)
Discussion Series: Dire Wolves: Still Extinct? — NHM’s bold new discussion series, “Elephant in the Room,” tackles the Museum’s most thought-provoking topics. Join us for the next installment of our new thought-provoking discussion series that dives into bold — and sometimes controversial — topics from the museum world and beyond. This time, experts will be exploring the mystery of still-extinct dire wolves (despite recent headlines to the contrary), recent advances in biotechnology, de-extinction and more. More information is available at nhm.org/direwolvesstillextinct.
Schedule: May 13, 2025
Admission: Free
Pride in Bloom — In collaboration with Drag Arts Lab, this Partners in Commons event will take place at NHM in June, aligning with L.A. County’s recognition of LGBTQ+ Pride Month and reinforcing our commitment to creating a welcoming space for all communities. Partners in Commons emerged from the deep listening and collaboration with the NHM Commons Advisory Coalition, whose insights shaped both the vision and the need for this program. Through this initiative, we offer a space where community organizations can gather, connect, and share their work with both their audiences and the broader public, ensuring NHMLAC remains a hub for dialogue, creativity, and belonging.
Schedule: June 8
Admission: Free with Museum admission | Free for Members
Ocean Encounters — Fun, educational, and interactive, the new Ocean Encounters live performance features life-size sea creature puppets for a prehistoric undersea adventure. Ocean Encounters is family-friendly, and each performance is about 20 minutes long. More information is available at nhm.org/oceanencounters.
Schedule: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 am and 11:30 am
Admission: $10 per person + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: Ocean Encounters
T. REX 3D Film — This captivating science adventure celebrates the greatest of all tyrants, starring NHM’s own Thomas the T. rex. The big screen production on this iconic dinosaur—and its carnivorous Cretaceous cousins—aims to be the most dazzling and accurate T. rex documentary ever made. More information is available at nhm.org/TREX3D.
Schedule: Showtimes vary by day
Admission: $10 per person + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: T. REX 3D Film
Collective Knowledge from Our Changing World — Now open alongside the new NHM Commons, Collective Knowledge invites visitors to take a fresh look at NHM’s collections through the lens of photographer Craig Cutler. Twelve large-scale photographs bring objects and specimens to life, and behind-the-scenes stories highlight some of the incredible research taking place every day. More information is available at nhm.org/collectiveknowledge.
Schedule: Showtimes vary by day
Admission: Free with admission
Images: Collective Knowledge
Animals Alive!* — Every week, meet our Living Collections team and their furry, scaly, slimy, or leggy friends that help make L.A. a biodiversity hotspot—along with creatures from all over the planet. Discover how they survive in our sprawling city as well as habitats across the globe, and what we can all do to help protect our animal neighbors. More information is available at nhm.org/animalsalive.
Schedule: Wednesdays, 10:30 am and 11 am
Admission: $5 or free for Members
*Animals subject to change
Collections Revealed — Every week, explore the 99% of Museum Collections not on display that drive research and discoveries at NHM and across the globe. From tiny marine invertebrates and extraordinary artifacts to newly described species and the oldest things on Earth, get an up-close look at the rarely seen Museum Collections we study and care for.More information is available at nhm.org/collectionsrevealed.
Schedule: Thursdays at 11 am
Admission: Free with paid admission or free for Members.
LA on Wheels (Ongoing Web Series) — This year-long series of stories and experiences focuses on the diverse communities of Los Angeles through the lens of wheels. Throughout 2025, NHM will continue its Being LA series with monthly videos elevating the people, history, and movement of wheels with onsite programs and events. More information is available at nhm.org/la-on-wheels
Butterfly Pavilion — Walk among beautiful butterflies in our seasonal Butterfly Pavilion. This outdoor exhibition features hundreds of butterflies, colorful native plants, and plenty of natural light to help you see these creatures shimmer. With lots of flight space and a variety of resting spots, come get one of the best views in Los Angeles of these amazing insects. More information will be available at nhm.org/butterflies.
Schedule: On view through August 24, 2025
Admission: $10 + Museum admission or free for Members
Images: Butterfly Pavilion Press Images
First Fridays | AMPLIFIED — The popular after-hours Museum event is back, with live music, DJs, topical discussions, signature cocktails, pop-up experiences, and much more. Join us this season as we tap into our relationship with music and how it affects our bodies and our lives. Come by each month for an evening full of dancing, drinks, and one-of-a-kind presentations you won’t find anywhere else. More information is available at nhm.org/firstfridays.
Schedule: May 2 and June 6, 5-10 pm.
Admission: $20 for Non-members | Free for Members
Images: First Fridays
First Fridays is sponsored by Two Point Museum and KCRW, in partnership with IAMSOUND.
City Nature Challenge — Every April, just in time for Earth Day, this popular community science global initiative returns, now in its 10th year! Participants the world over are invited to document nature in their own cities with smartphones and cameras to help scientists better understand local biodiversity. Learn more at nhm.org/citynaturechallenge.
Schedule: Results announced May 5, 2025
Images: City Nature Challenge
Bug Fair — Join NHM for a two-day festival celebrating our winged, multi-legged, and squirmy friends for the 39th annual Bug Fair! Visit a variety of exhibitors and see everything from exotic insect collections to unique and cool bug-related products. More information is available at nhm.org/bugfair.
Schedule: May 17 & 18
Admission: Free with Museum admission | Free for Members
Images: Bug Fair
Reframing Dioramas: The Art of Preserving Wilderness — The Natural History Museum’s historic diorama halls are the largest exhibitions at the Museum, showcasing over 75 incredibly detailed habitats ranging from arctic tundra to tropical rainforest. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dioramas, NHM is restoring and reopening a diorama hall that has been closed for decades. There, visitors will experience immersive new installations — by artists RFX1 (Jason Chang), Joel Fernando and Yesenia Prieto (working as a three-artist team), as well as Saul Becker and Lauren Schoth — that call attention to dioramas as a unique combination of art and science and explore biodiversity, ecology, conservation, colonialism, and changing museum display techniques. This exhibition is part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide. More information is available at nhm.org/reframingdioramas.
Schedule: On view through September 14, 2025
Admission: Free with Museum admission
Images: PST | “Reframing Dioramas” at NHM
WOLVES: Photography by Ronan Donovan — Created in collaboration by National Geographic and National Museum of Wildlife art, this exhibition features the captivating work of National Geographic Explorer and photographer Ronan Donovan, who has spent years documenting the lives of wild wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Ellesmere Island in the high Canadian Arctic. Through stunning images and videos, visitors will gain an unparalleled glimpse into the daily lives of wolves, highlighting the stark contrast between those living in human-dominated landscapes and those in untouched wilderness.
Schedule: On view through June 22, 2025
Admission: Free with Museum Admission
Images: Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan Press Images
Nature Gardens Exploration — Swing by the Nature Gardens to dive into Nature Garden Explorations, tours led by Museum Educators and focused on topics such as birding, bug netting, nature journaling, and ponding. Topics rotate over the course of the year, so be sure to check online to see which explorations are currently available. More information is available at nhm.org/naturegardens.
Schedule: 11 am on weekends, meet near the pond in the Nature Gardens
Scanning Electron Microscope Demonstration — Visit the Mineralogy Lab in the back of the Gem & Mineral Hall to see a live demonstration of NHM’s Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in action from our Curator of Polychaetes, Dr. Kirk Fitzhugh. This is a unique opportunity to get a real-life glimpse into technology often reserved for the world’s top laboratories (and often seen in movies).
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 am
Admission: Free with Museum Admission
La Brea Tar Pits
Mark Dion: Excavations — Mark Dion’s immersive, uncanny installation at the La Brea Tar Pits, Excavations, evokes a behind-the-scenes museum space, displaying new work alongside early museum murals, dioramas, and maquettes of Ice Age mammals in a playful, irreverent presentation in keeping with his meticulous yet mischievous approach. Dion’s 10-foot-long sculpture of a fossil pack rat skeleton stands atop a mix of natural and cultural detritus from the Tar Pits and the Hancock Park neighborhood. Additionally, six new drawings by Dion of mammal skeletons commonly found in the Tar Pits—artworks labeled with the names of locally important scientists, artists, historical figures, and landmarks. This exhibition is part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide.
Schedule: On view through September 14, 2025
Excavator Tour — The Excavator Tour explores the Fossil Lab, where real paleontologists work, our historic excavation sites, and Project 23, where live excavations can be seen. More information about excavations is available at tarpits.org/experience-tar-pits/excavations.
Schedule: 1 pm on weekdays; 10:30 am & 1 pm on weekends
Discoveries from the Tar Pits — Drop by to learn some of the lesser-known stories of the Tar Pits, including active research and recent discoveries. Topics change daily.
Schedule: 3:30 pm daily
Ice Age Encounters — Encounter the Ice Age as we dig into the past to uncover the mysteries of some of the extinct creatures who roamed Ice Age Los Angeles over 10,000 years ago. Experience this dynamic, 15-minute show featuring a life-size adult saber-toothed cat puppet, a live performance, and film projections that bring the distant past to life. This one-of-a-kind multimedia performance transports guests back in time to come nearly face-to-face with a moving, roaring extinct saber-toothed cat. Performed in an intimate theater setting, this show is great for the whole family and children of all ages. More information is available at tarpits.org/iceageencounters.
Schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 and 11:30 am, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Admission: $8 per person in addition to Museum admission or free with membership
Images: Ice Age Encounters
*Please note: The saber-toothed cat puppet is very large and may be frightening to some children.
Museum Admission – NHM and La Brea Tar Pits
Members – FREE
Adult — $18.00
Senior (62+) — $14.00
Student — $14.00
Children (3 – 12) — $7.00
Children 2 and under – FREE
Unless otherwise noted, all events are included in the price of admission or free for members.
Admission is always free for NHMLAC Members, California Pre K–12 teachers with ID, Active or retired United States military with ID, CA EBT cardholders with ID, and USC Students and Faculty with ID. In addition, L.A. County residents receive free Museum Admission from 3-5 pm Monday through Friday.
Community Science Volunteer Opportunities
Big Bee Bonanza: Bee populations have been decreasing in numbers and diversity all over the world. Exactly why is a global mystery, but museum collections like NHM’s might have some of the answers. You can help researchers understand just what’s happening to these insects that are so crucial to food production in the human and natural worlds in the Big Bee Bonanza. We need your assistance in digitizing more than a century’s worth of bees. Together, we can help scientists and policymakers get the data they need to keep bees buzzing.
Project Phoenix: Investigating Bird Responses to Smoke — Due to the unprecedented fires led by Drs. Allison Shultz and Olivia Sanderfoot, this bird community science project is seeking volunteers outside of the traditional fire season. While the health effects of smoke inhalation in humans have been well-documented, we do not know how our increasingly intense and frequent smoke events are affecting birds, and this new project seeks to fill the gaps in our knowledge and help protect these beloved animals.
Backyard Bats — The Bat Roost Count is a community science project led by Miguel Ordeñana and other bat scientists that monitor bat roost sites—where bats rest during the day—to count how many emerge as dusk drifts into night. On August 10 and 11, community scientists will join experts from the SoCal Bat Working Group at one of eight roosts to conduct evening observations. The project currently focuses on the L.A. River, San Gabriel River, and other locations in LA County.
Research Initiatives
California Insect Barcoding Initiative — NHM researchers and their collaborators have set their sights on documenting California’s insect biodiversity before it’s too late by barcoding every species of insect in the state. Led by Megan Barkdull (one of two new Entomology Curators at NHM), Austin Baker, and Giar-Ann Kung CIBI program.
Marine Biodiversity
Leslie Harris, NHM’s Senior Collections Manager in Polychaetes, is participating in research about marine biodiversity off the coast of Ilo, Peru. Harris and fellow researchers in the U.S. and Peru are surveying the populations of coastal marine invertebrates—crabs, worms, starfish, clams, and other spineless critters—using the power of iNaturalist to share observations and identify species living in the intertidal and subtidal areas there. Harris has also created an iNaturalist project with the aim of assembling observations of species living within the temperate current stretching from southern Ecuador through Chile.
Antarctic Dinosaur Discussion in Omaha — The Director and Curator of The Dinosaur Institute at NHM, Dr. Nate Smith, is headed to the Durham Museum in Omaha to give a presentation on the traveling Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibition on the evening of March 31.
Philosophy of Biological Systematics Course — Dr. Kirk Fitzhugh is teaching his international post-graduate course, Philosophy of Biological Systematics, via Zoom in June and July 2025. This course from NHM’s Curator of Polychaetes is the only one available worldwide that critically evaluates perspectives and popular methods in biological systematics according to principles of philosophy of science.
Microplastics and fish
Two NHMLAC scientists, Bill Ludt, Assistant Curator of Ichthyology, and Aaron Celestian, Curator of Mineral Sciences, have been awarded a $357,564 two-year grant from California Sea Grant and the California Ocean Protection Council to study microplastic consumption over time in California fishes using the Museum’s specimens. Ludt and Celestian will be looking at potential differences in microplastic consumption in southern versus northern California from 1940 to the present, and analyzing the chemical composition of the plastics and, potentially, identifying their sources. This is believed to be the first study of microplastics in Museum fish collections going back in time that focuses on the Pacific Ocean.
Collaborative research on the cognitive development of early Homo sapiens
This research on heat-treated silcrete reveals that early Homo sapiens possessed sophisticated cognitive capabilities, as the controlled application of heat treatment demonstrates complex cumulative culture and advanced planning. The deliberate manipulation of fire to transform silcrete’s material properties is widely interpreted as evidence of analogical reasoning, a significant cognitive milestone that emerged approximately 70,000-164,000 years ago. By identifying distinct Raman spectroscopic signatures associated with different heating methods, this study provides a non-destructive analytical approach to better understand the technological sophistication and cognitive evolution of early human populations, contributing to our understanding of when and how complex human cognition developed. In collaboration with the Society for American Archaeology.
Presentation of New Mechanisms of kidney stone growth
This research reveals the surprising finding that bacterial biofilms are integrated within calcium-based kidney stones, even in stones previously thought to be “non-infectious.” Using advanced microscopy techniques, the researchers demonstrated that these stones are actually organic-inorganic biocomposites where bacterial communities exist between mineral layers. This discovery suggests a new model for kidney stone formation where bacteria influence calcium mineralization through their extracellular DNA, potentially creating nucleation sites for crystal growth. These findings could revolutionize kidney stone treatment by offering new therapeutic approaches targeting bacterial biofilms rather than just focusing on mineral composition.
Novel minerals to enhance the strength and fire-resistance properties of building materials
NHMLAC scientists are working on a new type of concrete that could help buildings stand up to wildfires. The key ingredient is a mineral called zeolite, which has tiny holes throughout it like a sponge. When fire heats up this special concrete, the zeolites release water that was trapped inside their tiny holes. This works like a built-in sprinkler system. The water cools down the building material and slows the spread of heat. Unlike regular concrete that can crack and fall apart in extreme heat, zeolite concrete stays stronger during fires. This gives people more time to escape and firefighters more time to save the building. As wildfires become more common, this new building material could save homes and lives in fire-prone areas.
Fieldwork to study the formation of gem sapphires and gold in the El Dorado Bar in Montana
New science at El Dorado Bar sapphire mines could discover improved methods for finding gem-rich gravel deposits. Researchers might develop better ways to predict where sapphires form based on ancient river patterns. Scientists could also learn about Montana’s geologic history by studying the minerals found alongside sapphires. New research might reveal how sapphires originally formed millions of years ago before being carried to El Dorado Bar by ancient rivers. Additionally, scientists could develop more environmentally friendly mining techniques by studying how sapphires naturally concentrate in certain areas. Excursion into the field takes place June 10-12.
Free presentations at NHM Commons: Collections Revealed for AAPI heritage month
Pacific Islands Ethnic Arts Museum (PIEAM) received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host an artist-in-residence program to create “sister mats” for both museums to use in storytelling and community connection. Two artists; Lia Barcinas, a Chamorro weaver from Guam and JP (Jason Pereira), a graphic artist of Samoan descent, worked together to create the sister mats and they’ve been fulfilling their purpose at PIEAM since they were completed. This May, in honor of AAPI heritage month, JP will be using the sister mats and a few other Pacific Island based pieces from the Anthropology collections in a storytime presentation for school groups and other visitors attending the Collections Revealed programming in the Commons Theater. Happening on Thursdays in May: 5/1, 5/15, 5/22 and 5/29 at 11 am.
Curator Announcements:
NHMLAC is proud to announce two new curators of Entomology, following Dr. Brian Brown’s retirement in 2024.
Dr. Rodrigo Monjaraz Ruedas, Associate Curator of Entomology
Dr. Rodrigo Monjaraz Ruedas (he/him) joined NHMLAC on December 17, 2024 as Associate Curator in Entomology. Dr. Monjaraz Ruedas got his Masters and PhD from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). His research was focused on taxonomy and phylogenetics of Schizomida, one of the elven orders of Arachnids. Later, he joined San Diego State University as a postdoc to study phylogenomics and spatial phylogenetics of trapdoor spiders. His research focuses on evolutionary biology and systematics of short-range endemic arthropods, combining fieldwork, museum collection data, morphology and phylogenomics to address specific questions about speciation, species delineation, morphological evolution, and biodiversity. He is also very passionate about taxonomy, bioinformatics and caves.
Dr. Monjaraz Ruedas research combines fieldwork, museum collection data, morphology and phylogenomics to address specific questions about speciation, species delineation, morphological evolution, and biodiversity. Much of his research also emphasizes conservation biology, taxonomy and bioinformatics. He is passionate about evolution and fieldwork in caves.
Dr. Megan Barkdull, Assistant Curator of Entomology
Megan Barkdull (she/her) joined NHMLAC on January 7, 2025 as the Assistant Curator of Entomology. Megan studied at Cornell University, where she completed a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her research has focused on the evolutionary and developmental basis of social traits in ants, and on using genetic techniques to better understand the biology of endangered butterfly species; she is excited to continue and expand upon those lines of research at the museum.
Dr. Barkdull uses museum collections, genomics, and developmental biology to understand the processes which generate Earth’s insect biodiversity. Dr. Barkdull’s research primarily focuses on ants (family: Formicidae).
Dr. Luis Chiappe, Senior VP, Research & Collections and Curator, Dinosaur Institute
We are proud to announce that Dr. Luis Chiappe (he/him) has been inducted as a member of Spain’s prestigious academic society, Real Academia de Ciencias de España.
As the head of NHMLAC’s Research and Collections Department, which he assumed in 2012, Dr. Chiappe oversees the research programs of more than 30 PhD scientists and the vast biological, geological, and cultural collections of NHMLAC. A vertebrate paleontologist as well as the Curator and past Founding Director of the Dinosaur Institute, Dr. Chiappe has conducted extensive research on the evolution of dinosaurs, from their reproductive behavior to their evolutionary connection with birds. He is considered to be one of the world’s authorities on the subject. Dr. Chiappe is also a J. S. Guggenheim Fellow, a Humboldt Awardee, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California.