Getting ready forthe Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Dinosaurs, gems and animal halls in Exposition Park, with free sensory kits (noise cancelling headphones, a fossil stress ball, a sensory guide and a fidget cube) to borrow from Guest Relations, a Sensory Guide that rates the halls for sound and light, and a Social Narrative to read ahead.
Sensory supports. Free sensory kits with headphones, a sensory guide to the halls.
Hours
Every day 9:30 am to 5 pm. Closed the first Tuesday of every month except June to August. Also closed Thanksgiving (Thu Nov 26 2026), Christmas (Fri Dec 25 2026), New Year's Day (Fri Jan 1 2027) and Independence Day.
“For those who may experience sensory sensitivity, we provide free kits, including noise cancelling headphones, a fossil stress ball, a sensory guide, and fidget cube.”
“Kits are available to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis and can be checked out by leaving a driver's license or other form of valid identification. Inquire with our Guest Relations staff once you arrive.”
“NHM experiences lower-sensory days with generally fewer visitors and quieter hours that vary from time of day and time of year.”
“We recognize we may not have accounted for all sensitivities.”
The museum's three planning tools are the Sensory Guide (sound, light and touch for each hall, with sound and light maps), a Social Narrative called Museum Visit, and a Visual Checklist with picture cards and Communication Cards for asking for a break or the restroom. The Sensory Guide may not cover temporary exhibits; for those, email info@nhm.org.
For more on the quieter days and hours, the museum asks you to call its Call Center at 213.763.3466 or email info@nhm.org.
Family Care Lounges are on Level 1 near the Welcome Center and on Level 2 in the Bird Hall; ask Guest Relations staff for access.
People who work at the museum wear a uniform or name badge, and the Social Narrative tells kids they can ask one of them for help if they get separated.
Free sensory kits with noise cancelling headphones, a fossil stress ball, a sensory guide and a fidget cube, first come, first served; leave a driver's license or other valid ID with Guest Relations.
A Sensory Guide that rates the halls for sound, light and touch, plus a Social Narrative and a Visual Checklist to use before you go.
Free admission for L.A. County residents on weekdays from 3 to 5 pm, EBT cardholders (up to 2 adults and 4 children), personal care attendants with a visitor with a disability, and more.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
whether you can leave and come back in the same day
a refund or exchange rule for admission tickets
bag size rules
sensory-friendly hours set aside for families
Call 213.763.3466More about Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Louder, in the museum's words
Grand Foyer (Level 1) (when busy, this space can be loud)not stated
Dinosaur Hall (Level 1) (well lit, often busy, and can get quite noisy)not stated
Los Angeles Underwater (Level 1) (immersive multimedia, with light kept low for the projections)not stated
Judith Perlstein Welcome Center and NHM Commons (Level 1) (ticketing area with large windows and interactive screens)not stated
Discovery Center (Level 2) (insect zoo, fossil dig pits; heavily visited and can get loud)not stated
Reframing Dioramas (Level 2) (multimedia and soundscapes that may be overwhelming to some visitors, with low and changing light)not stated
Nature Lab (Level G) (very bright, with live animals, and noisier on busier days)not stated
Butterfly and Spider Pavilion (outside) (not temperature controlled, timed tickets, and can be busy at peak times)not stated
Community Plaza (outside) (may be affected by noise and foot traffic on busier days)not stated
Quieter, in the museum's words
Bird Hall (Level 2)quiet zone
Visible Vault (Level 2)quiet zone
Mineral Sciences and SEM Lab (Level 1)quiet zone
Café patio, or the indoor hallway outside the café entrance (Level G)quiet zone
General admission: adults $18, seniors (62 and up) $14, students (with college ID, or youth 13 to 17) $14, children (3 to 12) $7, children 2 and under free; members free. Advance online tickets are highly recommended. Add-ons need a general admission ticket too: Spider Pavilion $10 (through Sun Dec 6 2026), T. REX 3D Film $10, Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet $10, Dinosaur Encounters $10, Animals Alive! $5, and Orcas: Our Shared Future $12 adults and $6 children (3 to 12) on weekdays, $15 and $8 on weekends and holidays; members free.
Free museum admission every day for: NHMLAC members; L.A. County residents Monday to Friday 3 to 5 pm; California PreK to 12 teachers with ID; California PreK to 12 school staff with ID; active or retired U.S. military with ID; EBT cardholders with ID for up to 2 adults and 4 children; personal care attendants accompanying a visitor with a disability; USC students and faculty with ID; children 2 and under. Show your ID or EBT card at any museum ticketing desk when you arrive. Free resident hours may be reservable online or may be on site only, so plan to get those tickets at the desk. Parking and add-on tickets aren't included.
Parking: the NHM Car Park (3724 Bill Robertson Ln) is a $20 flat rate, credit card only, open 9:15 am to 6 pm, with no in-and-out and a limited number of ADA spots for visible placards; from there, go to the green ticket booth at the east end of the lot. The Blue Structure (550 Exposition Park Dr, entrance on Figueroa Street at 39th Street) is $20 before 5 pm and $24 after, paid with exact cash, Mastercard or Visa. On game days, plan extra travel time. By Metro, the closest stations are Expo/USC and Expo/Vermont, and showing a TAP card at check-in gets a $2 discount.
Food and drinks stay put away inside the museum. The Neighborhood Grill (Level G) is open daily 9:30 am to 5 pm, with the kitchen closing at 4 pm, and the NHM Commons Cafe in the Community Plaza is open daily 7 am to 5 pm.
Every exhibit is accessible by wheelchair and stroller, except strollers can't go inside the Butterfly and Spider Pavilion. Wheelchairs are first come, first served by leaving a driver's license or other valid ID with Guest Relations. Wheelchair accessible and all-gender restrooms are throughout the museum, on every floor. Service animals on a leash and under control are welcome. For ASL or CART at theater programs, public programs, lectures and tours, email info@nhm.org at least two weeks ahead.
Dinosaur Encounters is a live show in the NHM Commons Theater, about 23 minutes long, with large, realistic dinosaur puppets that are not small hand puppets; the museum asks families to prepare small children for them. It's $10 plus general admission (free for members), a reservation is required, and the schedule varies.
Sensory Friendly Field Trip Days are for school groups (first Monday of the month, October to June except January, 9:30 am to 1 pm): school visitors are capped at 500, lighting is adjusted in the mammal halls, many interactive sounds are turned off, and a Relaxation Zone with bean bags opens in the 2nd Floor North American Mammal Hall. The museum stays open to the public those days.
Email
info@nhm.orgMuseum email (questions, ASL or CART requests two weeks ahead)
