Stories
Welcome to Stories, a place to explore—and be inspired by—the wonder of our natural and cultural worlds.
How Los Angeles Moved Uncomfortably Close to Mountain Wildfires
A look at L.A.'s growth toward wildfires through historic images from the Seaver Center
Smilodon, Saber-Tooths, and Tigers…Oh My!
How Smilodon became saber-toothed tigers—and why they're really saber-toothed cats
Extinction and Survival at La Brea Tar Pits
Groundbreaking new research from La Brea Tar Pits curators finds that in California, 13,000 years ago, huge Ice Age mammals that had roamed the landscape for many millennia, suddenly ceased to exist. The cause? Humans, catastrophic fires, and an ecosystem made vulnerable by climate change.
Why Did the Ice Age Titans Go Extinct?
A new study reveals that human impacts in an environment made fire-prone by climate change and herbivore loss led to large mammals vanishing from southern California.
Jurassic Perks
How Jurassic Park helped spark a boom in new dinosaur discoveries
Start Your Engines
Cruise through automobile history in a behind-the-scenes look at our vintage image collection of L.A.’s early driving scene.
How Our Museum Grows
A unique and transformative museum mentorship program about biodiversity begins
