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A small amount of carbon can give us a whole lot of information, allowing scientists to build a timeline of animals and environments that existed during Ice Age L.A by measuring traces of carbon. Discover how ancient fossils are shaping new research: go.nhm.org/tar-pits-res...

Wonder what animals of the late Pleistocene snacked on? Through examining microscopic plant fragments from the teeth of Western horse and ancient bison specimens, scientists discovered their diet consisted of leaves and twigs from Rancho La Brea. Take a closer look: go.nhm.org/horsing-around

𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺. The Tar Pits record began one-hundredth of an inch from the end of the ribbon, while in the final one-half inch, you’ll see the story of primitive man evolving to an astronaut, bridging the piece to modern-day history.

🌎 One planet, countless life stories. The 83-foot-long mural once displayed at La Brea Tar Pits depicts the history of life on Earth—from the planet’s origin five billion years ago to the present, each inch representing approximately five million years.

In sunny California, shade is always a hot commodity, but during extreme heat, it becomes a necessity. The La Brea Tar Pits tell the story of how shade has been a resource that has changed over time.

A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who stopped by during our final days. See you in 2028!

Thanks to our friends at the Concern Foundation for having La Brea Tar Pits and @nhm.org at their #ConcernBlockParty! Cali joined members of our Performing Arts and Research & Collections teams for a “wild” safari-themed night out, all in the name of cancer research.

We're anticipating a summer 2028 reopening! You can learn more about the process on our official site. tarpits.org/reimagine

While we build the future, you can still experience our exclusive La Brea Tar Pits Insider Tours and witness groundbreaking science in action daily. We’re moved by the outpouring of love and can’t wait to welcome you back in 2028. Keep up to date on the latest developments at TARPITS.org!

Since announcing our closure in April, over 150,000 of you visited us—including 18,000 on our final weekend alone!

👋 Goodbye for now! Thank you for your incredible support! As we begin our exciting transformation to reimagine La Brea Tar Pits, home of the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research, we want to express our deepest gratitude.

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👋 Final countdown. What message would you leave for the staff?

Been stuck in plenty worse

Run, don't walk. @tarpits.org closes July 7th. #museum #paleontology

At least we're not really going anywhere, just.. getting a lil' refresher. ☺️

FINAL DAY! 🥹

I was lucky enough to visit when I took a short trip to LA a couple of years ago. If you can, go see it before it changes! The vintage exhibits are very cool. I'm sure it'll still be cooler in 2 years, but that's gonna wait!

🦣 Our doors may be closing in a week, but the memories can last a lifetime! Shop official La Brea Tar Pits merch now through July 6 and save 25% with code TARTARFORNOW25: go.nhm.org/tar-pits-shop

For instance, with 𝘉𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘶𝘴, horns and tusks are commonly only present in males, and if present in both sexes, those of the males are usually larger. Learn more about the ancient bison and other Ice Age fossils at TARPITS.org!