From
the front of the building, the museum has two staircases
that lead to an upper-level outside patio - it appeared
to be a space where hold special events perhaps.
Leaving
the parking garage, the fee was $1.00. I don't really
know how we got away with that, but I wasn't complaining.
Before
heading home, we took a quick 10 minute detour up the
street to The Grove - one of those newly opened shopping
centers next to another tourist attraction staple, Farmer's
Market. The Grove designers have combined elements of
Disneyland's Main Street, USA, a movie studio back lot,
a really nice city park, added in the standard line-up
of shopping mall stores, and have created something very
entertaining.
Along
with Abercrombie & Fitch, Tommy Bahama, Roxy, Banana
Republic, FAO Schwartz and J.Crew, the designers included
a small grassy park, a dancing waters fountain, an old-fashioned
trolley, and beautifully themed storefronts.
There
was even a live band playing in the park. The Barnes &
Noble bookstore is huge, and you can easily kill an hour
roaming around this three-story monstrosity.
It
made for an enjoyable, if not schizophrenic afternoon.
From ancient fossils to shiny new stores.
One
wonders if, in 10,000 years, archaeologists and paleontologists
will be sifting through the remains of The Grove at Farmer's
Market.
Can't
you just see the experts, sitting around on a lunch break
debating what 'Sephora' means
I love animals, so this was my favorite museum of
the one's we've been to. But actually, it's my favorite
museum I've ever been to. The Dire Wolves looked cool,
and I felt bad that so many of them died in the tar
pits. I think other kids should see this musem, because
it's really good.
I
recommend that people go and see this one, just because
it's weird. Educational, yes. But, weird. The museum
itself is incredibly dated, and only slightly interesting
from my perspective. However, Megan loved it, so seeing
it through her eyes was a real kick. And most of the
other kids there were also loving it.
From
a strictly educational perspective, it gets big points.
And the groups of kids on field trips were having
a blast - they just seem to love the notion of these
prehistoric animals. I was more fascinated with the
overall history of the area. The Hancock family gets
rich when they strike oil in the area and create Hancock
Park. Who knew? George C. Page? What a guy!. And the
history timeline with old pictures of Los Angeles
are just incredible - it's hard to grasp, even with
photographs, just how small town L.A. was in 1916.