Natural History Museum
historic place
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, a significant historic place, opened on November 6, 1913. It was initially known as the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science, and Art. The museum's cornerstone was laid on December 17, 1910, on land that had been an agricultural fairground. Frank Hudson and William A.D. Munsell designed the original 1913 building, known for its eclectic architectural styles. A central rotunda features Italian marble, mosaic tile, and Julia Bracken Wendt's "Three Muses" statue. In 1961, the institution divided. The art collection moved, and the Exposition Park site became the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Today, it stands as the largest natural and historical museum in the Western United States, preserving millions of specimens. Its main building is on the National Register of Historic Places. This site represents over a century of dedicated historical and scientific preservation in Los Angeles.