#19: Natural History Museum

At the Bug Fair

Surely you have heard of L.A.'s Natural History Museum and perhaps have even visited it. Well here are three lesser-known reasons to visit this great museum:

1. The Bug Fair

Trust me, it's worth going to this annual event. I don't even like bugs. I go out of my way to kill bugs. But at the bug fair, there I was paying good money for bugs. Karmic retribution.

Here are just some of the things you can do at the bug fair:

Learn about the health benefits of leeches.

See a tarantula close up.

Hold a gigantic millipede in your hands.

Start a butterfly collection.

Buy a beetle necklace.

2. The Spider Pavilion

The Natural History Museum has a greenhouse that they turn into a spider or butterfly pavilion, depending on the season. Right now, it's spider season, and it's your chance to get face to face with a whole bunch of your 8-legged friends. And when I say face-to-face, I mean *duck*. You can literally walk face first into one of their webs if you're not careful!

3. First Fridays

If you haven't gone to First Fridays yet, you're missing out on a unique musical and cultural experience. Listening to indie bands in the great hall while stuffed lions and tigers stare at you from their cases is pretty neat in my book. This event is seasonal and starts around Spring.

Natural History Museum of L.A.