La Brea Tar Pits

A National Natural Landmark, these are tar pits of supreme interest to palaeontologists over the years, and also the location of Hancock Park.

An absolute treat for people who are interested in the history of life on the planet, the La Brea Tar Pits are perhaps the best evacuation site to understand the history of the Los Angeles area during the Ice Age period. The asphalt has seeped up from the ground over thousands of years, preserving the remains of the animals that were trapped in it. Bones of animals like mammoths, dire wolves, ground sloths, and the sabre-toothed cat. These fossils also include those of plants and insects. The La Brea Tar Pits Museum located next to the park displays a huge collection on the fossils that have been excavated from these pits, with over a million total animal fossils on display. This elaborate exhibition covers everything from the Columbian Mammoth to a small insect. The museum also has a show - Ice Age Encounters - which attempts to recreate the environment and the lives that these animals lived in a fun 15 minute presentation. And a fascinating and real time exhibit is the fossil lab, which is actually a functioning lab where palaeontologists are continuously working and researching on the fossils to recreate the past. The museum makes for a fun and educational visit, enlightening us about the creatures that walked this earth millenniums before us.