Makeover Master Plan for La Brea Tarpits Approved by L.A. County Supervisors

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the final environmental impact report for the planned redevelopment of the La Brea Tar Pits and the George C. Page Museum campus on the Miracle Mile.

The approved plan, known as Alternative 3 in the environmental study, will bring a significant transformation to the 13-acre site in Hancock Park. As the world’s only continuously active paleontological excavation site in a major urban area, the renovation aims to enhance the visitor experience, accommodating up to 800,000 guests annually and expanding exhibition space by approximately 20 percent. According to a staff report, Alternative 3 includes the following key elements:

• Renovation of the existing Page Museum within its 63,000-square-foot footprint, addressing deferred maintenance and upgrading the structure to meet modern building codes. The redesign will improve exhibition layouts while also creating additional research space.

• Retention of the museum's open-air courtyard and steel-grid roof.

• Construction of a new 40,000-square-foot museum building to the northwest of the Page Museum, featuring a new café.

• Reorganization of spaces, including the relocation of the theater, classrooms, and retail store.

• Reconfiguration of on-site surface parking.

• Transformation of the Page Museum’s main entrance into an outdoor classroom with tree-lined seating.

• Creation of a breezeway connecting the existing museum to the new building.

• Removal of part of the berm at the northwest corner to allow for a new ADA-compliant entrance.

• Renovation of the entrance at Wilshire Boulevard and Curson Avenue, adding a shaded canopy and welcome pavilion.

• Upgrades to the entrance at 6th Street, near LACMA’s service drive, also featuring a shaded canopy and welcome pavilion.

• Reconfiguration of pedestrian pathways for ADA compliance and better connectivity between Hancock Park’s green spaces.

• Enhancement of the excavation compound for research and educational purposes.

• New landscaping and vegetation.

  
  

The master plan design team is led by Weiss/Manfredi, with contributions from designer Karin Fong of Imaginary Forces, landscape architect Robert Perry, paleobotanist Carole Gee, artist Mark Dion, and designer Michael Bierut of Pentagram. Architect Brenda Levin also played a role in shaping the project.

So far, the Board of Supervisors has allocated $22 million toward conceptual and schematic design services. The Museum Foundation, which is spearheading the redevelopment, is in the process of setting fundraising goals to cover the majority of construction costs. A staff report indicates that the foundation may seek additional financial support from the County during the 2027-28 fiscal year.

The phased renovation of the La Brea Tar Pits, expected to span approximately seven years, will continue the wave of construction along Museum Row. Just next door, work is already in progress on LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries, designed by Peter Zumthor, which will span Wilshire Boulevard.

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