Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The museum is well known for its displays of dinosaur bones, but I had my eyes on some more recent remains. Recent in this case being only about ten to five hundred THOUSAND years ago. 

The Age of Mammals exhibition contains some amazing examples of the largest mammals to roam the earth. This includes several displays of the canid family. It is interesting that you can take a look at the large dogs, posed in hunting postures on one side of the room, then  step over to see the evolution of the human species tracking along the same timeline. We have truly been “best friends” for millenia.

Another special exhibition taking place right now is Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan. Since 2014, Donovan, a National Geographic Explorer and photographer, has examined the relationship between wild wolves and humans in order to better understand the animals, our shared history, and what drives the persistent human-wolf conflict. These incredible photos are from Yellowstone and up into the Canadian Arctic. 

If you are more of a feline fancier, there is an ongoing  exhibition about Los Angeles’ own P-22. P-22 was a mountain lion who lived in Griffith Park and became a celebrity in his own right with sightings throughout the Hollywood hills. Unfortunately, he was captured and euthanized in 2022 after suffering traumatic injuries being hit by a car. 

Whether you go for the dinos, the dogs, the gardens, or any of the other amazing options at the museum, it is a great way to spend a day in Los Angeles. For more information, you can follow this link.