About Rancho La Brea
The museum at La Brea Tar Pits is currently closed for a two-year renovation. Indoor exhibitions and experiences are temporarily paused, but the exploration continues! Areas of Hancock Park and our active outdoor excavation sites remain open to the public. Learn more about our closure to plan your visit.
Our research group uses fossils preserved in asphaltic sediments to investigate big questions related to climate change, evolution, and paleoecology.
Because Rancho La Brea represents the largest collection of late Pleistocene asphaltic fossils in the world, we use this opportunity to train students, build collections through excavation, prepare and conserve fossils in our public viewing Fossil Lab and curate this massive collection onsite. Our staff also use these collections to study scientific questions with visiting academics. Much of the current research could not be possible without the unique geological circumstances that occur in the La Basin and the efforts of the paleontologists who came before us.
Early Researchers at Rancho La Brea
As a place-based museum, we are also committed to engaging the communities around us, sharing our research through exhibits, and preserving this National Natural Landmark for future generations.
Our Staff
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Kenneth Campbell, Ph.D.
Dr. Campbell began his tenure at the Natural History Museum in 1977 as one of two curators to fill staff positions for the newly opened George C. Page Museum, a satellite facility of the Natural History Museum.
Sean Campbell
As a Preparator at Project 23, Sean is responsible for excavating fossils, training volunteers and students and sharing his expertise with the public.
Connie Clark
As a Preparator in the lab, Ms. Clarke is responsible for preparing fossils, supervising volunteers and communicating her work with museum guests.
J. Alberto Cruz, Ph.D.
Alberto is a Mexican paleontologist who studies paleoecology, in particular, fossil amphibians and reptiles (toads, frogs, turtles, snakes, and lizards).
Greg B. Davies
As Assistant Collections Manager, Mr. Davies participates in daily curation and collections management duties including cataloging, organizing, identifying and scanning of fossils as well as participating in the Public Outreach Programs.
Regan E. Dunn, Ph.D.
Dr. Regan Dunn is the Assistant Deputy Director & Associate Curator at the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research at La Brea Tar Pit. She is a paleobotanist whose research seeks to understand the interplay between climate, plants, and animal evolution through time.
Aisling Farrell
As Collections Manager Ms. Farrell has co-managed all of the fossils at Rancho La Brea for over a decade.
John Harris, Ph.D.
Dr. Harris is a Curator Emeritus at Rancho La Brea.
Our Policies
We are part of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. Find more information about our positions, policies, and processes.