LA History Tour: From Mammoths to Movies

Discover LA’s hidden past with giant sloths, woolly mammoths, and iconic museums. Join our tour for a unique adventure through time and culture.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - Explore these ancient tar pits where natural asphalt has surfaced for thousands of years! These pits have ensnared and preserved an extraordinary array of Ice Age fossils, including saber-toothed cats, mammoths, dire wolves, and many other creatures.
  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art - LACMA, the largest art…
What's Included
  • Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Ticket ($25 value)
  • English Speaking Tour Guide
What's Not Included
  • Parking
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Everyone knows LA has famous beaches and celebrities. But, did you know that LA used to be home to giant sloths the size of a VW? Or that woolly mammoths once roamed the LA basin? This tour will make you see LA in a whole new light.
You’ll learn about a variety of fascinating subjects, from ice age era discoveries to how film came here. Starting with…

Location
Wilshire / Curson
Meet in front of La Brea Tar Pits Sign at corner of Wilshire and S Curson
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(6 Ratings)
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Artie_r
Nov 6, 2024
Tour guide makes the tour even better! - Chris was so excited to share information on the tour. That makes the difference when the tour guide is engaged and NOT just going thru the motions. Eager to show and guide you thru the tour.
Review provided by Viator
Claire_h
Oct 28, 2024
Great tour with a great guide! - I don't usually book tours, but limited time in LA meant I deferred to an expert to make the most of our visit. And I'm so glad I did!! Chris was an excellent guide, full of great stories and backed by facts. He was personable and pivoted seamlessly when we asked him random questions along the route. His love for the city is apparent and he'll make you see LA in a different light. This tour through Museum Row is really like an active stroll with a super-knowledgeable friend. Thank you, Chris!
Review provided by Viator
Jasmine_f
Oct 13, 2024
Super Knowledgeable - If there is a museum tour your need to take, its this one! My tour guide, Chris, is THE GUY! I promise you! He has been doing tour for years and even teaches other people how to be a tour guide. Chris was excellent. I don't know how we did four museums in one day but we did, and Chris was so knowledgeable about each one. He even told me facts that I had never heard on any of the other tours that I had been on. He also showed me a section of the Berlin wall that I had no idea was in LA. This tour felt very exclusive and I left there with tons of knowledge that I could not have gotten anywhere else. Please please take this tour. You won't regret it!
Review provided by Viator
Angelicarc7797nx
Aug 31, 2024
This Tour Has Everything! - This was a perfect tour! We got to see exhibits from 4 of the major museums in Los Angeles, have great opportunities for photoshoots, and learn so much about LA history. Our tour guide Chris had an encyclopedic knowledge about everything from the Ice Age to movie history. This tour is definitely the best way to see Museum Row. It has something for everyone in your family or group since it covers cars, science, art, and Hollywood. It included entry into the Academy Museum which was pretty sweet!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C345fppauln
Aug 28, 2024
A wealth of culture in LA! - This is one of the best and most unique cultural tours you could take in Los Angeles! In under two hours we were guided through four wonderful LA museums, and our guide Chris was incredibly engaging and informative! The tour finished at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, where we treated to one of the most spectacular views of LA and the Hollywood Sign from the Spherical Terrace...and then we were given as much time as we wanted to explore exhibits. Great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joshua
Aug 28, 2024
Well done! - If you are looking to check out this part of town while in Los Angeles this tour is an entertaining and informative way to explore the area. I would even recommend planning a bit of time after the tour to go back and see the entire Peterson Automotive Museum! The tour takes you through the La Brea Tar Pits, and then over to the outdoor art installations of LACMA, then across the street to the Peterson Automotive Museum lobby, a stop by some filming locations, and concludes with admission to the Academy Awards Museum (some really fantastic views from the top of this place!). Our tour guide Chris has been doing tours all over Los Angeles for years and had a ton of information about anything LA! He recommended another Art Museum tour they offer of the Broad Museum and MOCA downtown which we also did, and really enjoyed! But I definitely recommend heading back over to the Peterson Automotive Museum after the tour and seeing the whole place! Very cool!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
December 2024
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