Visitors can soon return to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum under new health and safety protocols, as well as the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. (photo by Gina Cholick/courtesy of NHMLAC)

The Los Angeles County Natural History Museum in Exposition Park will reopen to the public on April 1, and the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum in the Miracle Mile will reopen on April 8, museum officials have announced.

New health and safety protocols will be in place at both museums. Tickets for the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park will be available starting today, March 25. Tickets for the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum will be available on Thursday, April 1.

“The Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits have brought joy to generations of Angelenos for more than a century. We are thrilled to welcome the community back inside them after a full year of closure and to make them more accessible for all Angelenos,” said Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga, president and director of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. “As museums of, for and with L.A., we have been witnessing the impact that our outdoor spaces have on visitors as they return to our Butterfly and Spider Pavilion and connect with nature. In that spirit, while the world strives to heal from the pandemic, we are more committed than ever to providing opportunities that inspire curiosity, relaxation and wonder.”

In accordance with public health guidelines, protocols to protect visitors and staff will include reduced capacity, advance online timed-ticket reservations, face coverings for everyone on-site, self-monitoring of symptoms and designated pathways to ensure safe distancing in galleries and gardens. There will also be more frequent cleanings and self-service sanitizing stations.

All visitors will receive touch styluses upon admission to NHM that may be used to interact more safely with touchscreens throughout the museum. Some visitor experiences that don’t allow for proper distancing will remain closed at each location, including NHM’s Gem Vault, Encounters performances at both museums, and the Observation Pit at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. 

The NHM and La Brea Tar Pits and Museum will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, and will expand days over the coming months. The 2021 Butterfly Pavilion season will be open through Sept. 6, and the Spider Pavilion is expected to open later this fall.

For information, and tickets, visit nhmlac.org.