Places, Earth
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

State Parks, Historic Sites, and Museums need your help.

Throughout the country, important state parks, historic sites, homes, buildings, and museums are in trouble. Because of the recent rise in gasoline prices and the general world-wide financial collapse, state parks, historic sites, and museums are in danger of closing. Some are being forced to sell off artifacts and property. Most operate on a thin margin and will not weather these hard times without your help.

Places Earth recently encountered closed state parks in Arizona and California is threatening to close all state parks. The story is similar throughout the country.

Places Earth urges everyone to support these vital and important public resources any way you can. Please find a worthy local or distant historic site or museum that is in financial danger and donate your treasure, time, and talent. Write to your governor and other elected officials telling them to find a way to keep these parks open. It will be your loss.

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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County opened in 1913. It has grown through several name changes, beginning with The Museum of Science, (verify the order) Historical, and Art. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is one of the largest museums of its type in the United States, and is one of the largest natural and cultural museums in the Western United States. Only the Smithsonian Institution and American Museum of Natural History in New York are larger. The collection numbers over 30 million pieces, many unfortunately are not on display due to lack of space. Plans are underway to rebuild this institution and hopefully more of the collection will be exhibited in the new facility.

Artifacts cover over 4.5 billion years of the Earth's history. The Natural History Museum Family consists of three museums: the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, the George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries (La Brea Tar Pits) in Hancock Park, and the William S. Hart Museum in Newhall.

Exhibits include California and U.S. History, Native American and Pre-Columbian Cultures, Dinosaurs, Mammals, Marine Biology, Gems and Minerals, Birds, Hollywood, hands-on Discovery Center for children, an Insect Zoo, traveling exhibits, and more.

More text later.


The original entrance to the Museum faces the Rose Garden.


The ornate Rotunda is in the center of the original structure built in 1913.


The original entrance to the Museum as seen from the Rose Garden.

East, original, entrance from Rose Garden. Photo date: 12-2-90.

East, original, entrance from Rose Garden. Photo date: 11-13-03.

Original entrance. Photo date: 8-7-94.

Original entrance. Photo date: 9-4-94.

East facade of original builidng. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

Original entrance. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

Wing meets rotunda.

Detail of east facade.

East facade in the rain.

Northwest corner of origianl rotunda. Photo ate: 2-6-05.

Looking east from original entrance. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

East facade. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

Southeast corner of original rotunda. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

Rotunda as seen from the California Science Center.


The 1913 Rotunda as seen from the Science Center.

East side, south wing of original building. 9-4-94.

West side, north wing of origianl buildng. Photo date: 9-4-94.


Northwest corner of original building. Photo date: 3-20-04.


Northwest corner of the original rotunda built in 1913.

North entrance. Photo date: 12-2-90.

Dueling Dinosaurs. Photo date: 7-5-98.

Dueling Dinosaurs and forecourt in rain. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Dueling Dinosaurs. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

Looking north from north entrance, toward Dueling Dinosaurs. Photo Date: 12-5-04.

Looking north across the fountain.


Two more views across teh fountain toward Dueling Dinosaurs

The facade above the North Entrance.

Looking east along the northeast facade.

North facade. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

North facade. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

North addition and kapoc tree. Photo date: 12-2-90.

Kapoc tree. Photo date: 7-8-90.

Kapoc tree. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Kapoc trees.

Kapoc tree at north side. Photo ate: 2-6-05.

Kapoc tree in full bloom.

South Facade, Photo date: 9-4-94.

South entrance, Photo date: 10-27-90.

South entrance, built in the 1930s. Photo ate: 12-5-04.

South facade with entrance at center.


Traveling sculpture exhibit. . Photo date: 9-7-03.

Gluck Trucks, donated by the Gluck Foundation. Earth Mobile, Sea Mobiule, Sky Mobile. Used in LAUSD. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

Pavilion of Wings, Butterfly Exhibit

Pavilion of Wings, butterfly exhibit. Photo date: 6-30-01.


Pavilion of Wings - The Butterfly Pavilion. Open summer.

Bright orange butterflies.

Spider Pavilion


After butterfly season, the pavilion houses large spiders in honor of Halloween in October.

Interior

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has one of the best collections and displays of rocks and minerals in the country.

Dueling Dinosaurs. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

Foyer. Note that the Stegosaurus and Allosaurus dinosaur skeletons that had for so long occupied the center of the foyer had been moved to the Dinosaur Hall and this space was left open for a few years. Photo date: 9-4-94.

Foyer. Note that the Dueling Dinosaurs skeletons have been installed. Photo date: 8-2-98.

Ceiling of the Foyer. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

Ceiling of the Foyer.

Ceiling of the Foyer.

Photo date: 12-5-04.	Photo date: 10-22-05.
Statue at center of original rotunda.

Ceiling of rotunda. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Ceiling of rotunda. Photo date: 12-5-04.


Rotunda. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Rotunda, interior. Photo date: 9-4-94.

Native American Hall. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Pre-Columbian Hall. Photo date: 12-5-04.

American Bison. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Bear. Photo Date: 1-25-05.

American Bison diorama. Photo date: 11-22-83.

Africa Veldt diorama. Photo date: 11-22-83.

Ice age fossils. Photo date: 12-5-04.

Prehistoric mammals. Photo date: 7-26-79.


Whale.

Temporary Exhibits

Traveling exhibit on Dinosaurs. This display predicts that had Dinosaurs not become extinct, they might have eventually evolved into intelligent people like us. Photo date: 7-27-86.

Inca Dance, a one-day program. Photo date: 9-7-03.

Sonic Museum was a special exhibit in the Spring of 2006. Music was composed to accent select exhibits.

The Museum is Remodeled

In 2007, a long overdue major restoration began of the original 1913 part of the builidng. For some time, the east side of the museum was closed for renovation. Click here for more...

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This page last updated: Saturday, 07-Nov-2009 21:41:48 CST

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