The Natural History Museum will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. We will reopen on Saturday, July 5.

insects bugs specimens drawer research and collections entomology

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Bugs

Exhibitions

Close up of Green Wasp
Spiky, Hairy, Shiny: Insects of L.A.

Meet your tiny neighbors!

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Girl looks at coyote display
Nature Lab

Live animals and hands-on interactives show you L.A.’s wild side.

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Children standing around the Paleo Play Zone, a counter with imitation sand and fossils, with mounted taxidermy up high on the wall in the background
Discovery Center

Dig for dinosaurs, wonder at live insects, and organize your own diorama.

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Butterflies photographed from above on a pink background
Butterfly Pavilion

Watch butterflies take flight around you in this seasonal exhibition.

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SP Header Image
Spider Pavilion

Walk among spiders and their magnificent webs in this unique, open-air experience.

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Events

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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.

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daily

  • 3:00 pm
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
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!

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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
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

Stories

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Discover more

iNaturalist obseravation by Boaz Benaiah Solorio of a San Gabriel Chestnut Snail

Snail Search 2025

Snail Search 2025

Ready to snail it again for science?! Snerch is here for its tenth annual habitat survey!

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Insects specimens pinned in white boxes
Clasificando insectos
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Image of a completed Bug Hotel
Bug Hotels

Create your own bug hotel for your garden and see who comes to visit!

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Image of a completed Bug Hotel
Hotel Para Insectos

¡Crea su propio hotel para insectos para su jardín y mira quién viene a visitar!

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Caterpillar Races activity - finished craft
Carreras de Orugas

Crea su propia oruga. ¡Después, compite contra su familia o amigos en una carrera de orugas!

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