La Brea Tar Pits Breaks Ground on Campus Renovation

The Los Angeles museum project adds new research facilities and a pedestrian loop to its 13-acre campus.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in National Parks

Screen-print poster illustration of a research pavilion and winding path in a park, depicting the La Brea Tar Pits renovation. — The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has begun a renovation of the La Brea Tar Pits, adding research facilities and pedestrian walkways. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has officially broken ground on a major renovation of the La Brea Tar Pits campus. This initiative will revitalize the site and the George C. Page Museum, which has been closed to the public since July 2026.

Why it matters

The project aims to modernize the historic fossil site by integrating visible research laboratories with enhanced exhibition spaces. This update seeks to improve visitor experience while maintaining the facilitys status as an active and vital excavation location.

The renovation encompasses a 13-acre campus that includes the George C. Page Museum and the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research. While the museum remains closed to visitors, the surrounding park area continues to be open to the public.

The players

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

This institution manages the La Brea Tar Pits and oversees the ongoing preservation and research efforts at the site.

George C. Page Museum

Located at the La Brea Tar Pits, this museum serves as the primary exhibition and research center for fossils recovered from the surrounding tar seeps.

The details

The renovation plans include the construction of a new pedestrian loop designed to connect various excavation sites, research areas, and gardens. These improvements focus on creating more transparency for scientific work by adding visible research laboratories and expanded exhibition spaces throughout the grounds.

The Page Museum first opened to the public in 1977.
The museum facility officially closed for renovation in July 2026.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on October 29, 2026.
The reimagined campus is projected to reopen to the public in 2028.

Travel Outlook

This project represents a major transition for one of the citys most famous fossil sites, mirroring trends in museum modernization where historic institutions reconfigure spaces for contemporary engagement. The renovation builds upon the legacy established by the 1977 opening of the George C. Page Museum.

Visitors should note that the museum remains closed during the construction phase, though the surrounding park continues to offer access to the area. Planning for future visits should account for a grand reopening scheduled for 2028.

The takeaway

Local residents and history enthusiasts can anticipate a modernized facility that better highlights the active excavation work occurring in their own backyard. The site will provide expanded access to research and exhibition spaces once the multi-year construction project concludes in 2028.