Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles

I have been going here for about 50y. Much improved with all the new exhibit halls. From the old north American Mammals to the new one on dinosaurs it is fun to look at and you learn a lot. The gem vault is not to be missed. I was a member when our children were small and we would spend a weekend day just wondering through all the halls. Pay attention when a demonstration is happening as it is not that easy to find your way around. Ask any of the staff and they will direct you. Nice cafeteria in the basement.

A fun filled learning experience! This place is amazing! They are always updating their exhibits. Bring your whole family. Plenty of activities for the little ones. If you get hungry they have a grill. If your from out of town this is a place you should see before leaving LA! I have been there several times and always something new to see!

Great place for a chill trip. This place has some cool stuff. The dinosaur exhibit is one of their best rooms with a almost fully constructed T-Rex (Thomas I believe). The gem room is very cool as well. They also have a few large rooms depicted life-like taxidermy from different areas like African safari and North American climates. For $15 (adult) you can't go wrong. Great place for kids too. It won't blow your socks off but it's a great place. If you get bored, walk over to the Cal Science center (free admission)

Beautiful building. I went for the "Becoming Los Angeles" exhibition, which is excellent and informative. Worth a visit, especially if your from/live in LA. Know your history. They also have a pretty extensive dinosaur exhibit, which kids will love. The Gems and minerals wing is worth walking through, especially the vault. The exhibit is still firmly a musty late70s/early80s decor, not "vintage" because it's original, and could stand an update, but adds a nostalgic charm to the experience. A quick walk through the outdoor gardens on the way out is also worthwhile. If your looking for localized landscaping and garden ideas, make sure to see the "urban waterfall."

In terms of actual exhibits this place is amazing. My personal favorite was the dinosaur/other Mesozoic reptiles exhibits, especially the one with the various ages of tyrannosaurus over some other remains which was nice and dynamic feeling. My only complaint is with the shops and the food options. The shops don’t have much in terms of souvenirs that really reference the exhibits or the name of the museum, mostly just little knickknacks. The food is relatively good but there are fairly limited selections.