Now that my daughter Rosemary is five months old, my husband and I are starting to feel a little more confident heading out into the world with two children. We recently spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Natural History Museum (right by USC) that was filled with dinosaurs and butterflies and bugs, and also memories that I will always treasure.
When you know the date you want to visit, buy your general admission tickets and butterfly pavilion tickets (the exhibit is on through September) ahead of time. You will choose a specific time for the butterflies, so definitely don't wait on your tickets, as the exhibit frequently sells out. Also, check the museum's website, or grab a paper schedule when you arrive so you can choose the events you want to attend.
Dinosaur Encounters is a must-see weekend show! We actually saw two shows, which featured a Triceratops and a T-Rex. I don't want to say too much about the show, because what happens is great fun and I want you to be as surprised as we were, but if you have little ones that love dinosaurs get there a little early and sit up front. And after the show, walk around the corner to see some cool "creatures" up close; what a fun way to learn about science and history! Btw, did you know that T-Rex may have been covered in...feathers?!
My son Dallas and I went to the Butterfly Pavilion for the first time last year, and couldn't wait to go again. A few minutes before your assigned time, you will line up outside the greenhouse (located just outside the museum building) to get your instructions, and then be let inside for about twenty minutes. Grab a guide with pictures of butterflies so you know what you are seeing, and hold very still if you would like one to land on you. One landed on the ground right next to my son, and we learned that if you want a butterfly to move, block the sun to make shade and they will fly away. On the way out you will be checked to make sure a Monarch is not trying to catch a ride home on your back!
Another favorite exhibit of ours is Becoming Los Angeles, which covers five centuries and shows how LA went from teensy pueblo to sprawling city. Don't miss the model of Downtown Los Angeles (circa 1938-1940), where you can see tiny versions of landmarks like City Hall, the Central Library, and Union Station. (Shameless Plug: If you love the twenties and thirties, check out my book: From the Corner of Hollywood and diVine: Your Guide to 30 Old Hollywood-Inspired Spots in Southern California.)
When it's time to fuel up with some grub, you can head downstairs to the NHM Grill, which offers a casual menu of burgers and sandwiches and salads and snacks, along with a kids menu. I was happy to see some vegetarian options, like the citrus and avocado salad that I got. You can sit indoors or outside, and there is a nice space right there next to the nature gardens for the kids to run around. Dallas was excited to see that, because all morning I had been shouting, "Walk! WALK!" as he tore off in search of the next cool thing to see inside.
Right next to the restaurant is the Nature Lab, where you can sharpen your observational skills and get an in-depth look at lots of critters. They also do a "Meet A Live Animal" program here, which is one of my son's favorite things to check out; on this visit he got to see a stinkbug and a Madagascar hissing cockroach. There is also a cool screen you can stand in front of that maps your body heat and shows you what you look like to a snake!
Contact Info:
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-763-DINO
www.nhm.org
www.twitter.com/nhmla
