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Dem Old Bones
Ice Age + Pit 91 Excavation at The La Brea Tar Pits
In Ice Age, dinosaurs are ancient history, humans are the new species, and animals, many who haven't survived into modernity, must migrate south as the ice storms freeze them out of their habitats. In this chilly setting, we meet three mismatched mammals who would ordinarily become each other's dinners -- a mammoth, a tiger and a sloth -- and instead, become friends when they rescue a human baby and must "track" its family across the frozen tundra to return him to his human herd. Our kids clamor to watch this film whenever they can. Perhaps it's the comedy: the three beasts are smarter than the newbie humans. Or, maybe it's the inspired characterization with which the human actors imbue the animals (we particularly love John Leguizamo's kooky portrayal of Sid the Sloth.) But, we think, the real reason this film perpetually tops our kids' favorites list is for its clever reassurance of friendship and family: when Manfred the Mammoth saves predator Diego the Saber-tooth Tiger, he explains "That's what you do in a herd, you look out for each other."
Although it's hard to imagine now, during the Ice Age era, Los Angeles was once home to saber-tooth tigers like Diego, as well as dire wolves and even massive Mammoths. Life in LA wasn't easy -- situated on what we now know is a fault line, tar oozed through fissures in the Earth's surface and trapped unsuspecting animals in its sticky goo. Still bubbling away today, The La Brea Tar Pits are a paleontologist's dream, and frankly, are pretty darn cool for kids (and adults) of all ages. We visited the Pit 91 Excavation, and were transfixed watching paleontologists at work, slowly dredging out fossilized remains of what might have once been an insect, a bird of prey, or even a Columbian Mammoth (Woolly Mammoths like Manfred did not venture this far South). The kids were so interested in the process that they asked to tour the George Page Museum, a favorite stop from their pre-school days. We first stopped at a barrel of tar where we all tried to lift what would be a limb out, discovering the plight of trapped animals. Although they oogled Columbian Mammoths, saber tooth tigers and a display of dire wolf skulls, what stopped our kids in their tracks was a window where paleontologists were at work examining the bones found in the tar pits outside ... the Ice Age, come alive!
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this film:
- Why It's Worth It: Ice Age was nominated for an Oscar (Best Animated Feature), boasts an involving plot line with real character development and humor, and is visually beautiful. Plus, it is the perfect cultural link to our suggested adventure of a day at the La Brea Tar Pits.
- Red Flags: It's tough to survive an Ice Age and there are scary situations. Manfred the Mammoth is cornered by carnivorous tigers, Diego the Saber Tooth almost dies (remind your kids that cats have nine lives--at least in film) and the human baby's mom does not survive.
- Don't Talk With Your Mouth Full: John Leguizamo, the voice of Sid the Sloth, tried 30 different voices before deciding on the final version. He discovered a useful factoid in a sloth documentary; sloths store food in their mouths, so Sid's voice sounds like he's speaking with his mouth full!
- Keep an eye out for Scrat: Scrat, the Squirrel, who appears on screen just a few times, steals the show trying to protect his precious acorn. He's got personality and perseverance -- all the makings of a star! In fact, he is featured in the sequel, Ice Age: The Meltdown.
Our tips for talking with your kids about Ice Age:
- Cinema Savvy: Ice Age was the first animated film to explore a frozen terrain; when it was released seven years ago, it was lauded for its painterly quality, which represented a considerable advance in computer animation. Ask the kids to compare the gorgeous backgrounds with the frozen tundra of Happy Feet, last year's penguin hit. In both films, animators worked for thousands of hours to show audiences the unusual icy terrain.
- History Savvy: Historians and archaeologists study fossils and artifacts from the past to piece together the story of ancient times. Ask the kids what they think the scientists do in their testing of fossils in order to learn about the Ice Age.
Pit 91 Excavation at The La Brea Tar Pits (Open only until Oct. 7)
George C. Page Museum (permanent)
5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-7243
Pit 91 Excavation Hours: Wed. - Sun. only, 10 am - 4 pm
Museum Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9:30 am - 5 pm, Sat., Sun. Holidays 10 - 5
Age Recommendation: Stroller babes to teens
Time Allotment: 2 hours
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about the La Brea Tar Pits:
- What Worked For Us: We began our visit at the George C. Page Museum by watching one of the two 10 minute films the museum runs throughout the day and we highly recommend you do the same. The films nicely detail the significance of the La Brea Tar Pits site and explain their historical import. Both are free with admission. Be sure to stop by Pit 91 to see a live excavation -- after the museum, the excavation has much more meaning.
- Why the George C. Page Museum is Great for Young Kids: A cozy and creatively-organized space, this museum is easy to cover in under an hour. You proceed in a circle, so there's no getting lost in the flow. Our kids loved this museum as pre-schoolers, but honestly, as upper elementary-schoolers and teens, they discovered a whole new layer of interest. There really is something for everyone. Parking behind the museum is expensive, but close and convenient. Street parking also available.
- Museum Admission: Free on the first Tuesday of each month, Adults: $7.00, 13-17: $4.50, 5-12: $2.00 Under 5: Free.
- Remember Pit 91 is Open Only On Wed. - Sun.: We had a snafu our first time out and visited the Pit 91 Excavation on a Monday -- remember, to observe the paleontologists at work, visit only Wed. - Sundays! Also, if you want to keep the visit short, just visit Pit 91 (free) and keep the museum for another visit (it's terrific and it would be a shame to visit if you have less than an hour or cranky kids).
- Before You Go: Remind the kids they will not see any dinosaur bones. Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years before the Tar Pits even started to form (about 40,000 years ago). What they will see is lots of species from the Ice Age: in fact, the Page Museum has the largest and most diverse collection of extinct Ice Age plants and animals anywhere in the world. Wow!
- The Tar Pits are not tar: They're asphalt! Tar is man-made and asphalt is a naturally occurring substance formed beneath the earth's surface.
- Brown Bones: Fossilized bones from the tarpits have a distinctive brown color. If you see brown bones anywhere else, chances are they originated from the Tar Pits.
- Great Computer Story for Young Kids: Click here for an on-line story about a little wolf who lived during the Ice Age. A perfect set-up for a visit to the Tar Pits!
- COOL FACT: According to one of the Pit 91 docents, the bones of a Columbian Mammoth was discovered this summer. The La Brea Tar Pits are adjacent to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and during the construction of their new wing, another tar pit was unearthed along with its fossilized remains.
Our tips for extending this Popcorn Adventure:
- For Dinosaur Fans: Visit the Natural History Museum for a great selection of dinosaurs. Be sure to check out the Mamenchisaurus, well-known for its largest neck. Young kids will especially enjoy the Ralph M. Parsons Discovery Center, for hands-on experiences like fossil-rubbings and live animals.
- Want to get stuck overnight with the kids?: The Page Museum has sleep-over nights with all sorts of gooey programs! Sign ups start in September, so register soon.
- Summer Camp for Kids: Register by March for hands-on nature camps co-sponsored by the Museum of Natural History and the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.
