The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a natural history museum in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, with permanent galleries, gardens and hands-on exhibition spaces. Its collections cover specimens and artifacts across natural and cultural history, making the museum a substantial stop to plan into a Los Angeles day out.
- Location: 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007.
- Regular hours: Open Wednesday to Monday; closed Tuesday
- General admission: $18 for adults; children age 2 and under enter free.
- Parking: The NHM Car Park charges a $20 flat rate.
Where the Museum Is
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is at 900 Exposition Blvd. in Exposition Park. The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County say they protect and share more than 35 million specimens and artifacts, and the museum’s galleries and outdoor gardens give you several ways to explore that collection.
Exposition Park is also home to the California Science Center and the California African American Museum. If you want to build a museum-focused day around more than one institution, check each destination’s visitor details before setting your schedule. For another Los Angeles museum visit, consider the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Exhibitions and Collections to Plan Around
The museum’s permanent exhibitions range from dinosaur fossils and regional history to gems, minerals and wildlife. You can plan around a particular subject or leave time to move between the different halls and outdoor spaces.
Dinosaur Hall, Age of Mammals, the Gem and Mineral Hall and the Hall of Birds cover distinct areas of natural history. Becoming Los Angeles focuses on the city’s past, while L.A. Underwater explores marine life. The Nature Gardens offer an outdoor change of pace between galleries.
For a more hands-on visit, ongoing exhibitions include the Discovery Center, Dino Lab, Nature Lab and Visible Vault, along with the African and North American Mammal Halls. Add-on programs and exhibitions require a general-admission ticket as well, so include that when you plan your admission. Another Los Angeles museum option is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
Hours, Tickets and Admission Details
The museum closes on the first Tuesday of each month except June through August, and on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Opening hours
- Monday and Wednesday to Sunday: 9:30 AM–5 PM
- Tuesday: closed
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
General admission costs $18 for adults, $14 for seniors age 62 and up, $14 for students with college ID or youth ages 13–17, and $7 for children ages 3–12; children age 2 and under enter free. The museum recommends advance online tickets to help ensure entry to the museum and special ticketed experiences.
Los Angeles County residents can get free admission from 3–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This offer is available onsite only. The museum also offers a $2 discount when you show a TAP card at check-in. Admission prices, hours and parking details can change, so check the official site before you go.
Parking and Getting There from Huntington Park
The museum’s NHM Car Park is at 3724 Bill Robertson Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90037. It charges a $20 flat rate, is open 9:15 a.m.–6 p.m. and does not allow in-and-out parking. The lot accepts credit cards only and has a limited number of accessible spaces for visitors with visible ADA placards.
The Blue Structure lot at 550 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037, lists a flat rate of $20 for cars before 5 p.m. and $24 after 5 p.m.
If you plan to use Metro, the closest stations are Expo/USC and Expo/Vermont; trains run daily from 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. The guide to getting around Huntington Park covers local travel planning for the trip.
For access around the museum, all exhibits are wheelchair-accessible. Wheelchairs are available first-come, first-served with a driver’s license or other valid identification left to borrow one.
Free sensory kits include noise-cancelling headphones, a sensory guide, a fossil stress ball and a fidget cube; kits are first-come, first-served and require valid identification. Strollers are not allowed in the Butterfly and Spider Pavilion.
The museum is about 4.9 miles from Casa Bella Inn- Huntington Park, a two-star motel in Huntington Park.
FAQs
Where is the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County?
It is at 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007, in Exposition Park.
Are there free admission hours?
Open Wednesday to Monday; closed Tuesday. Los Angeles County residents can enter free. The offer is onsite only.
Can you take a stroller into every exhibition?
No. Strollers are excluded from the Butterfly and Spider Pavilion.
Does the museum have accessible parking?
The NHM Car Park has a limited number of accessible spaces for visitors with visible ADA placards.