BE ADVISED: Due to multiple events in Exposition Park on Sunday, April 26, the Natural History Museum will be closing at 4 pm. Parking and traffic in the area will be impacted. Limited parking will be available in the Blue Parking Structure for $20 when you tell the attendant you are visiting the Natural History Museum of L.A. County. For questions, please call 213.763.3466 or email info@nhm.org.

Create Your Own Field Journal

Record your observations of the world around you with this print-out field journal.

Download PDF
A child holds a small notebook with shells on top and a pencil.

Overview

A journal is an essential tool for scientists of all fields (biologists, chemists, geologists, botanists, paleontologists, etc.), who use them to record observations, data, questions, stories, and ideas about what they notice and experience. Journal entries are often referenced over and over to review data, develop questions, and rethink ideas. Your field journal is your space: sketch what you see, jot down notes, or record specific data that you set out to collect.