La Brea Tar Pits

Part of the Natural History Museum of LA County, the tar pits and the George C. Page Museum are on Wilshire Blvd near Fairfax Avenue.  This area was once Rancho La Brea, a 4,444 acre ranch -- hard to believe, since it now includes Wilshire Blvd.'s "Miracle Mile".  Over 100 tons of fossils and skeletons of prehistoric animals have been excavated from the pits since the early 1900's.  An excavation (Pit 91) is currently worked and open for observation during the summer months.  For more information on the tar pits, click here.

(Click on thumbnail to see larger photo)