La Brea Tar Pits: Ice Age Fossils and Excavation Tour

Uncover Ice Age mysteries at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. Watch paleontologists excavate fossils and explore an active dig site. Discover saber-toothed cats, mammoths, dire wolves, and more!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - Gain entry to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum with your general admission ticket. This site is where Ice Age fossils are actively being unearthed in the heart of Los Angeles.
    Delight in this exceptional attraction by exploring everything it has to offer. Be amazed by the outdoor Lake Pit, with its bubbling tar; journey…
What's Included
  • Excavator Tour
  • Pit 91 Access
  • Atrium Access
  • Pleistocene Gardens
What's Not Included
  • Souvenir photos (available for purchase on-site)
  • Ice Age Encounters show and 3D Film (tickets are available on site when you arrive)
Additional Information

Explore the wonders of one of Los Angeles’ most intriguing sites: the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, with this admission ticket. Immerse yourself in this extraordinary experience that reveals the secrets of the Ice Age. Visit a live Ice Age excavation site and observe paleontologists as they unearth millions of fossils right before your eyes. From…

Location
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
5801 Wilshire Blvd,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(181 Ratings)
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1 star
Andrea_f
Aug 10, 2025
La Brea Tar Pits visit - This was my first time visiting the La Brea Tar Pits and museum. My parents grew up in Southern California and often talked about it whenever we were in the area so I’ve always been curious about what it looked like and have wanted to visit. We were in the area and had a few hours to burn so we decided to check it out. We found it interesting. You can walk around outside of the museum free of charge but we chose to visit the museum as well and were glad we did. It is a smaller museum so we got through it in about an hour.
Review provided by Viator
Wilkat020
Jul 12, 2025
Well worth the excursion from LAX on a long layover between flights - Loved it! I joined a free guided tour before taking in the tar pits and museum by myself. Interesting and enjoyable, especially for wannabe palaeontologists like me.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beverly_d
Jul 8, 2025
Historic Hollywod Hotel...a great place to stay! - The your hotel was in a great location to everything that we wanted to do it! Nice, quaint and comfortable. The employees behind the front desk, I could stand some training on how to greet people, be polite and helpful.
Review provided by Viator
Voyager08891066879
Jun 22, 2025
Worth the visit! - Bucket list box checked off! Great experience and learned a lot while we were there. Definitely worth the visit. We enjoyed the exhibits.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fritzdrama
Jun 9, 2025
Great family experience & teachers get in free! - So much fun for our nine year old nephew. Even our 16 year old enjoyed it. Very close to the Petersen Auto museum and other centrally located museums.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beth
Aug 14, 2025
Fascinating Tour, Lacking Warm Welcome - The excavation tour itself was worth seeing, but my check-in experience was disappointing. The staff member made my reservation feel unimportant, saying, “The tour starts at 1 p.m. for everyone,” in a dismissive tone. When I explained I had been in touch with a staff member about my ticket issue, he insisted on knowing her name and wrote it down, with several other staff just watching. He then added that because I booked through a third party, the information I was given “had nothing to do with them.” As a first-time visitor, I was hoping for a warmer welcome — instead, the tone at check-in dampened what could have been a more enjoyable visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bettydc4681dv
Jul 24, 2025
- I took my sister, who is visiting from out of town. It was a memorable experience, and we don't regret going. Museum was wonderful, what with all the displays and information provided. But we were sorely disappointed that the Observation Pit was closed, as we were looking forward to watching the excavation process in progress, as was advertised. Very disappointing, that's why the 4 rating.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louisa
Jun 9, 2025
Great experience - I've been wanting to come here for years and it did not disappoint. The grounds are beautiful. A lot of people picnicking and with pets. We enjoyed the museum and our time there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leah_c
Aug 19, 2025
Museum was interesting.... - Museum was interesting. The tar pits were nice grounds for walking. What they didn't tell you is that you need to plan for the excavator demonstration timing. Make sure you look that up! We missed out. There's no extra access that comes with these tickets. It's not worth it buying from Viator in my opinion.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_k
Jun 25, 2025
Main Tar Pit Closed - Nice park area but unfortunately the main target pit was closed and also one museum was closed . Disappointing considering it is summer vacation . We didn't know this when purchasing the tickets
Review provided by Viator
From $18
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).