It is a weird feeling. You're standing in the middle of Miracle Mile, one of the busiest stretches of Los Angeles, and the air smells like asphalt. Not the kind of asphalt they're laying down for road repairs on Wilshire Boulevard, though there is plenty of that, too. No, this is the thick, pungent, sulfurous scent of ancient earth. You're at the George C. Page Museum, and honestly, it’s one of the few places on the planet where the prehistoric past is literally bubbling up through the cracks in the sidewalk.
Most people just call it the La Brea Tar Pits. That is fine, but it sort of misses the point of the building itself. The museum is a masterpiece of 1970s brutalist-adjacent architecture, tucked into a grassy berm, designed specifically to house the millions of fossils pulled from the sticky muck just a few yards away. It’s not just a box for old bones. It is a working laboratory.
If you grew up in SoCal, you probably came here on a field trip. You remember the fiberglass mammoths "drowning" in the lake pit. You remember the smell. But as an adult, the George C. Page Museum hits differently. It’s a reminder that Los Angeles wasn't always just traffic and palm trees. It was a terrifying, beautiful wilderness of sabertooth cats, dire wolves, and ground sloths the size of a Honda Civic.
The George C. Page Museum is More Than Just Tar
The name on the building matters. George C. Page was a Nebraska-born businessman who made his fortune in shipping and oranges. He loved this place. He actually donated the funds to build the museum because, before 1977, the fossils were largely stored elsewhere or handled in less-than-ideal conditions. He wanted a dedicated space. He got it.
The architecture is fascinating. It’s built into a mound. You walk up, and the museum feels like part of the landscape, which is fitting because everything inside came from that landscape. The frieze around the exterior, designed by sculptor Manuel Felguerez, depicts the Pleistocene animals in a haunting, 150-foot-long narrative. It sets the mood before you even buy a ticket.
Once you’re inside, the vibe shifts. It's quiet, cool, and a little dark. You are immediately confronted by the sheer scale of the finds. We aren't talking about a few dinosaur ribs. We are talking about the largest collection of late Pleistocene fossils in the world.
Why the Tar Pits Aren't Actually Tar
Let's clear up a massive misconception right now. It isn't tar. Technically, it’s asphalt.
Geologically speaking, crude oil from the Salt Lake Oil Field seeps upward through faults in the Earth’s crust. As the lighter fractions of the oil evaporate, it leaves behind this thick, sticky, heavy goo. Native Americans, like the Tongva and Chumash, used it for waterproofing boats and baskets for centuries. They called it pismu.
The "pits" themselves are mostly man-made. People excavated the asphalt for roofing and fuel in the 1800s, leaving behind holes that filled with water. Animals would come for a drink, get stuck, and then—in a brutal cycle of nature—predators would see a trapped meal, jump in, and get stuck themselves. It was a natural trap that worked for over 50,000 years.
The Fossil Lab: Science in Real Time
The coolest part of the George C. Page Museum is the Fossil Lab. It’s often called the "Fishbowl." It’s a circular, glass-walled workspace where you can watch actual paleontologists and volunteers cleaning fossils.
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They use tiny tools. Dental picks. Cotton swabs dipped in solvents. They are incredibly patient. Sometimes they spend months cleaning a single skull of a dire wolf (Canis dirus).
You might see them working on finds from Project 23. Back in 2006, when the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) was building a new parking garage next door, they struck gold. Or, well, they struck asphalt. They found 16 new fossil deposits. Instead of halting construction for years, researchers boxed up the earth into 23 massive wooden crates—hence the name—and moved them to the museum grounds.
They are still working through those boxes today.
Inside Project 23, they found "Zed." Zed is a near-complete adult male Columbian mammoth. Finding a complete mammoth is rare. Finding one in the middle of a major metropolitan city while building a parking lot is basically a scientific miracle.
The Wall of Dire Wolf Skulls
If you want the "Instagram shot," it’s the wall. There is a backlit display featuring 400 dire wolf skulls. It’s haunting. It’s beautiful. It’s also a data point.
Why are there so many? In most fossil sites, you find lots of herbivores and a few predators. At La Brea, it’s the opposite. Roughly 90% of the large mammal fossils found here are carnivores. The "entrapment" theory explains this perfectly: one mired bison could attract dozens of hungry wolves.
It tells us about their health, too. Researchers have found skulls with healed fractures and massive infections. This suggests that dire wolves lived in packs and cared for their injured. If a wolf couldn't hunt, the pack shared food. You're not just looking at bones; you're looking at social behavior from 15,000 years ago.
Exploring the Outside: Hancock Park
You don't actually have to pay to see some of the best parts of the site. The George C. Page Museum sits within Hancock Park.
Walking the grounds is a trip. You'll see orange cones scattered around the grass. These aren't for construction. They are marking "micro-seeps." The earth is still active. If you look closely, you’ll see the ground literally "burping" bubbles of methane. Sometimes the asphalt oozes up right through the sidewalk or the lawn.
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- The Lake Pit: This is the iconic pool in front of the museum on Wilshire. It’s actually an old asphalt quarry. The statues of the mammoth family are heartbreaking—the "mother" is stuck, and the "calf" is watching. It’s a bit dramatic, sure, but it accurately represents how these animals were lost.
- Pit 91: For decades, this was the primary active excavation site. You can look down into it from an observation deck. It’s a literal jumble of bones. It gives you a sense of how dense these deposits are. It isn't one skeleton here and one there; it’s a "fossil soup."
- The Pleistocene Garden: The museum staff has worked hard to recreate what the LA Basin looked like 10,000 to 40,000 years ago. No palm trees. Instead, think California juniper, sagebrush, and redwoods. It was cooler and wetter then.
The Mystery of the La Brea Woman
One of the more somber and controversial aspects of the museum's history involves the "La Brea Woman." In 1914, excavators found human remains—a partial skeleton of a woman in her 20s. She lived about 9,000 years ago.
For a long time, she was on display. Out of respect for her and her descendants, and following shifting museum ethics regarding the display of human remains, she was removed from public view years ago.
However, her presence at the site is a vital piece of the puzzle. She wasn't "trapped" like the animals. Research suggests she was formally buried, possibly with a domestic dog. It changes the narrative of the pits from just a "death trap" to a place that held significance for the early human inhabitants of the Los Angeles area.
Why It Matters Today: Climate Change Lessons
The George C. Page Museum isn't just about the past. It’s a climate change laboratory.
The fossils here span a massive timeframe, including the end of the last Ice Age. By studying the "micro-fossils"—things like seeds, pollen, insects, and tiny bird bones—scientists are learning how ecosystems react when the world warms up quickly.
We can see how the size of animals changed as the temperature rose. We can see which species were resilient and which ones blinked out of existence. As we face our own climate crisis, the data stored in the asphalt at La Brea is becoming more relevant than ever.
Modern Misconceptions
People think everything in the pits is extinct. Not true.
While the "megafauna" (the big stuff like camels, lions, and short-faced bears) are gone, many species found in the tar are still around. Coyotes. Red-tailed hawks. Garter snakes.
The museum does an incredible job of showing the continuity of life. It’s not a graveyard of failures; it’s a record of a changing world.
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Tips for Visiting Like a Local
If you’re planning a trip to the George C. Page Museum, don't just rush through the galleries.
First, check the excavation schedule. If it’s a weekday in the summer, you can often see the "Project 23" team actually digging. They are usually happy to answer a quick question if they aren't deep in a delicate extraction.
Second, the 3D movie is actually worth the extra few bucks. It helps visualize how the landscape looked when the ground was covered in massive mammals instead of Teslas.
Third, parking. Don't try to find a spot on the street. Just use the museum lot at 6th and Curson. It’s easier. If you’re feeling ambitious, pair the visit with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures right next door. The contrast between prehistoric fossils and Hollywood glamour is the most "LA" experience you can have.
Real Talk: The Smell and the Sticky
Yes, it smells. If you have a sensitive nose, the "Lake Pit" area can be a bit much on a hot day. It’s a mix of old tires and a gas station. But that's the smell of history.
Also, watch where you step. Especially in the grassy areas near the museum. Those little orange cones are there for a reason. If you get the asphalt on your shoes, it’s a nightmare to get off. (Pro-tip: If you do get stuck, WD-40 or baby oil is your best friend).
Taking Action: How to Engage with La Brea
The George C. Page Museum is a unique hybrid of a public park, a tourist attraction, and a world-class research institution. To get the most out of it, you should move beyond the glass cases.
- Volunteer: The museum has an extensive volunteer program. You don't need a PhD to help sort through "matrix"—the dirt and asphalt that contains tiny fossils. It’s a way to actually touch the Ice Age.
- Follow the Research: The museum’s social media and blog are surprisingly deep. They post regular updates on new species found in the Project 23 boxes.
- Support the Tar Pits: Like all museums, it relies on funding. If you want to see the proposed massive renovation and expansion (the "Master Plan") come to life, consider a membership.
The George C. Page Museum is a rare window into a world that was lost only a geological heartbeat ago. It’s a reminder that under the concrete of Los Angeles, the wild is still there, bubbling up, waiting to tell more stories.
Next Steps for Your Visit:
Before you go, download the "La Brea Tar Pits" mobile app. It has an augmented reality feature that lets you see the mammoths and cats roaming the park through your phone screen. Also, be sure to book your "Excavator Tour" in advance; they fill up fast and offer a much deeper look at the active pits than the general admission ticket provides. Lastly, if you’re a California resident, check the museum website for "Free Tuesdays" or afternoon hours—they often offer free entry to locals during specific windows.