Nature

Exhibitions

Deep Sea Challenger sub underwater and exploring

Pressure: James Cameron Into the Abyss

Explore the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER
Dec 12, 2022–Feb 20, 2023

Learn more

Scanning Electron Microscope Lab

See how big discoveries can come from the tiniest things in the Gem and Mineral Hall.

Learn more

April 22, 2025 | NHM

Earth Day

Learn more

Frozen in Time: Images of Antarctica

See the frigid continent of Antarctica in a new light through the mesmerizing work of award-winning photographer Diane Tuft.

Learn more

The Woolsey Fire in Southern California seen from Malibu Canyon Road.

February 25 - August 5, 2019 | NHM

Wildfire

For many years, we've been adding fuel to the fire.

Learn more

Events

See all events

Visitors looking up, holding binoculars to their eyes

nhm

Tours & Activities

Nature Gardens Exploration

Enjoy NHM’s one-of-a-kind Nature Gardens while learning more about urban wildlife. Visitors of all ages are welcome to stop by anytime during the hour and stay as long or short as you’d like!

Learn more

weekly

11:00 am

Saturdays and Sundays

Opossum on a stick sculpture with an audience in the background

nhm

Tours & Activities

Meet a Live Animal

Get up close and personal with the Museum's resident animals! Hear amazing stories about critters that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

Learn more

daily

3:00 pm

nhm

Tours & Activities

Meet a Live Animal

Get up close and personal with the Museum's resident animals! Hear amazing stories about critters that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

Learn more

daily

3:00 pm

nhm

Tours & Activities

Meet a Live Animal

Get up close and personal with the Museum's resident animals! Hear amazing stories about critters that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

Learn more

daily

3:00 pm

nhm

Tours & Activities

Meet a Live Animal

Get up close and personal with the Museum's resident animals! Hear amazing stories about critters that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

Learn more

daily

3:00 pm

Stories

Illustration of a long-legged crocodile-looking reptile looks at a mammal carcass on an ancient tropical islands

How Ancient Crocodile-Like Predators Ruled the Islands of the Caribbean

NHM's scientist discovers that sebicids, ancient land-dwelling crocodile-like beasts, reigned over the West Indies as apex predators after vanishing from South America

The lower jaw of a dire wolf from La Brea Tar PIts resting on a piece of paper with the words "Last known real dirw wolf in the world!!" Aenocyon dirus lower jaw 13,082 years old' written on it

Dire Wolves: Sorry, They’re Totally Still Extinct

NHM and Tar Pits experts weigh in on why dire wolves have not, in fact, been successfully cloned, and the surprising perils of de-extinction

Science of SpongeBob: Micro Plastics, Major Problem

Pollution like microplastics is a major problem for our real-life sea creatures behind Bikini Bottom. Find out how you can help with fish expert Dr. Bill Ludt, NHM’s Curator of Ichthyology, and Rory Hu, Nick News Correspondent. Original video from 2023

Woman smiling on the right side of the image, Gary the snail on the right giving a slimy green thumbs up above logos reading 'Our World' and 'Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County'

Science of SpongeBob: Shell Yeah, It's Earth Month!

Gary the Snail has a posse! Discover just how many mollusks are sliming it up out there and what the shell is going on with NHM’s Curator of Malacology Dr. Jann Vendetti. Original video from 2023

A male house finch with a little red plumage around its beak and breast alongside otherwise gray feathers being held still by a person's hand

Bird banding, Wildfire Smoke, and the Nature Gardens

Researchers band birds and collect feathers in the Nature Gardens to study the impacts of wildfire smoke on birds.

A man shows a wolf skull to another man with a beard and a woman

NHM's Mammalogy Collection with NATGEO's Ronan Donovan & Dr. Xiaoming Wang

NHM's Vertebrate Paleontology Curator tours the photographer behind the Wolves exhibition through our collections

Discover more

Wild LA: Introduction to Camping at NHM

The Camp Out at NHM is a night filled with camping activities, nature, and fun-- all hosted in the museum Nature Gardens! These first-time campers will explore the gardens on a night hike and meet museum scientists who study bats, bugs, and other wildlife. They will also share L.A. nature stories while we roast marshmallows over the campfire. Co-hosted with community partners.

Red-tailed Hawk in Cedar Creek smoke - 2 cropped(

Project Phoenix: Investigating Bird Responses to Smoke

This groundbreaking community science project seeks to understand how wildfire smoke is impacting birds.

Backyard Bats

This survey, which is supported by the Disney Conservation Fund, is an opportunity to broaden awareness and interest in conserving species found in urban areas.

Group of students, NHM employees, and nature guide sitting and standing with trees in the background

How to Apply to UNLAB

Understanding Nature & Los Angeles Biodiversity

News & Press

Global Natural History Initiative Builds Groundbreaking Database to Address 21st Century Challenges

Effort Connects More Than a Billion Objects in Scientific Collections Across 73 Museums in 28 Countries

Findings Shared in New Paper Published in Science Magazine on March 23, 2023