The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has recently approved the La Brea Tar Pits master plan to by certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report. The master plan for the La Brea Tar Pits seeks to reimagine the site that was built more than 50 years ago. The Tar Pits lacks the necessary facilities to meet its full potential for advanced scientific research and deepen knowledge of our planet’s past so that we may better understand our collective future.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County aims to transform this beloved and unique scientific landmark in the heart of Los Angeles—the world’s preeminent Ice Age fossil site and the only active paleontological site in an urban location—into an extraordinary destination that will better serve our visitors and the scientific community from Los Angeles and around the world, provide a dramatically improved work environment for our staff, advance this critical scientific resource, and create a dynamic space to engage audiences in conversations at the intersection of nature, society, and sustainability.
The new 1-kilometer pedestrian path crosses over the Lake Pit, frames views into the museum, enhances amenities for community engagement and research, and reveals the riches found in the tar pits and museum. As a vibrant public park, active exploration is complemented with lookout platforms along the loop to provide more intimate spaces for refection. Students and curious adults can observe excavation and investigation in action.
Framed views throughout the park and museum bring into alignment the research and museum collection that contains over 3.5 million specimens. As flexible armatures, loops and lenses connect and reveal, forming a continuous journey that tells the story of La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum: the continuum from prehistoric time to our contemporary moment. The museum’s treasures are revealed to visitors, bringing the museum to the park, and the park into the public imagination.
New details are set to be released in spring 2025.
Architect/:Landscape: Weiss/Manfredi
Executive Architect: Gruen Associates
Images: Courtesy of Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
