At a ceremony late last month, the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County commenced work on a long-awaited revamp of the La Brea Tar Pits.

The museum complex, which closed for two years over the summer, is being refreshed under a master plan developed by Weiss/Manfredi. The initial phase of the project will include an expansion of the George C. Page Museum, as well as the removal and expansion of berms at the exterior to create new outdoor gathering spaces and access points. Plan also call for the replacement of signage, lighting, landscaping, and furniture across the over 13-acre campus.

Groundbreaking for La Brea Tar Pits renovationGary Leonard

Included in the project will be the addition of the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research, which will study how ancient ecosystems responded to climate change and extinction events.

The State of California recently announced $236 million in funding for the project. Completion of phase one is expected in mid-2028.

View of Ramp Gallery & Rooftop TerraceWeiss/Manfredi

The master plan also calls the construction of new entrance pavilions, walkways, a parking lot, and a research building, which would all be delivered in later phases.

The full master plan, which is proposed to be built over a roughly seven-year period, ensures that construction will continue on Museum Row for the foreseeable future. LACMA's David Geffen Galleries, a Peter Zumthor-designed structure which spans across Wilshire Boulevard, recently opened next door.

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