One of the iconic museums in Los Angeles has been closing its doors for quite some time. Surprisingly, we never really have guests for the final celebration.
In a nod to nostalgia, the George C. Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is set to throw a 1970s-inspired farewell party this Saturday evening. “La Brea Tar Pits’ Last Dance” will feature music, dancing, food, drinks, and even a costume contest, all before its public reopening scheduled for next month.
The museum is slated for closure on July 7 as it embarks on what officials describe as the most significant renovation in its nearly 50-year history.
This ambitious $240 million project aims to transform the structure with new exhibit galleries, visible laboratories, expanded storage for collections, a theater, and a rooftop terrace that offers stunning views of the renowned tar pits and adjacent parkland.
The renovation will retain the museum’s historic atrium and iconic exterior while enhancing accessibility throughout the building.
A highlight of the renovations will be the addition of the Samuel Ossin World Center for Ice Age Research. Visitors will eventually get a chance to see fossil preparation and scientific research happening in real-time.
Even though the museum will be closed, the surrounding park, including the excavation site and lake pit, will remain accessible during the roughly two-year construction period.
Paleontologists and researchers will keep working on fossil excavations, maintaining the museum’s extensive collection of 3.5 million Ice Age fossils, and conducting scientific inquiries throughout the renovation.
Educational programming will also continue during the closure. Behind-the-scenes tours, presentations, and visits by the La Brea Tar Pits Traveling Museum will keep local schools and community events engaged across Los Angeles County.
This renovation is backed by both public and private funding, highlighted by a substantial $40 million donation from the Samuel Oshin Family Foundation, with additional financial support from Los Angeles County for the landmark improvements.
Officials are hopeful that the revamped campus, featuring the new Samuel Ossin Global Center for Ice Age Research, will reopen in 2028, just in time for the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
