Stories
Welcome to Stories, a place to explore—and be inspired by—the wonder of our natural and cultural worlds.
New Exhibit | Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan
Ronan Donovan, a National Geographic Explorer and photographer, has examined the relationship between wild wolves and humans in order to better understand the animals, our shared history, and what drives the persistent human-wolf conflict.
Mark Dion Talks Excavations
Mark Dion discusses his immersive, uncanny installation at La Brea Tar Pits.
Year of the Snake
Celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake, with highlights from the collection
The Dire Wolf: An Ice Age Angeleno
What’s the backstory of dire wolves, the most-found mammal at La Brea Tar Pits? Here are five juicy morsels about this extinct species that once howled through the Ice Age.
On View: A Rare Australian Opal in NHM’s Gem and Mineral Hall
Meet a new dazzling black opal and discover the science behind the sparkle with Dr. Aaron Celestian
The Newly Described Andean Storm-Petrel Is Just Our Type (Specimen)
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Ornithology's type cabinet and meet some of the specimens used to describe new bird species
Street Names of Los Angeles
You may ride, drive, bike, run and walk your L.A. streets, but do you know the history behind L.A. street names?
Special Species
This artists’ team—including from left to right, RFX1 (Jason Chang), Joel Fernando, and Yesenia Prieto—created a site-specific installation for a new exhibition.
A Peculiar Garden
The artist, Saul Becker, created an apocalyptic, yet hauntingly beautiful landscape of glass, crystal, and metal that draws attention to ways humans have altered the habitats around us.