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County of San Bernardino

County Museum Field Trip to George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries

On Saturday, July 28, Curator of Paleontology Eric Scott will lead a field trip to George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries in Los Angeles. Registration for the trip is now open.

The world famous Rancho La Brea “tar pits” are the single richest concentration of land-based animals with backbones from the Pleistocene Epoch – the “Ice Ages” – anywhere on earth. Over three million fossils representing more than six hundred species of animals and plants have been recovered from the site. For tens of thousands of years, seeps of sticky asphalt – not tar, despite the common “tar pits” moniker – pooled at the surface at Rancho La Brea, trapping thousands of unlucky animals. 

“Rancho La Brea has fossils from all across the spectrum – large and small, young and old, sick and healthy,” says Scott.  “These fossils enable amazingly complete and detailed snapshots of ancient life during the final peak of the last Ice Age. And the ‘tar pits’ are practically in our own backyard, in downtown Los Angeles.”

Eric Scott is a former Chief Excavator for Rancho La Brea’s famous Pit 91 dig and an active researcher at the “tar pits” for nearly three decades. His background ensures a unique insiders view of the famous site. Participants will get an in-depth and behind-the-scenes guided tour of the George C. page Museum of La Brea Discoveries and the ongoing excavation at Pit 91.

The cost of $50 per person ($40 for Museum Association member) includes morning coffee, snack, beverages, museum admission fees, and transportation. Check in time is 9:30 a.m. at the museum and return about 5:30 p.m. The first stop will be the historic Farmers’ Market and The Grove for lunch on your own. Then it is off to the Page Museum and Pit 91. Participants are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a hat and sunscreen as part of the tour will be outdoors.

Space is limited, so pre-paid registration is required by July 20, 2007. Call LaWanda Avery-Brown at (909) 307-2669 ext. 225 for more information and registration.

Scott will also present a lecture, “Rancho La Brea: Treasures of the Tar pits,” at the county museum on Sunday, July 22, at 2:00 p.m. that will provided a valuable background information for trip participants. The lecture is free with museum admission.

The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org or call (909) 307-2669 or TDD (909) 792-1462.

 

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San Bernardino County Museum - (909) 307-2669 - 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, California 92374 TDD/TYY: (909) 792-1462

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