Took a trip to the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles today. 2nd time I've been there. First time was to see a talk and book signing by seismologist Susan Hough.

Let's see, the good stuff...

I saw the gem and mineral section this time. Last time I missed it as I only realized they had that section just as they were closing. This time it was first. Quite some beautiful specimens in there. There's a little bit of everything but I was most impressed with the azurite, rhodochrosite, spudomene, stibnite, and something that looked like little white cotton balls called okenite. I could go on, but I'd end up listing their whole collection!

Couldn't find the coelacanths at first. Turned out their tank was being repaired so they were stuck in with the megamouth shark. I've always had a fascination with this living fossil ever since I did a report on them way back in high school.

The other sections were nice too...particularly the bird specimens.

They also had their Pavilion of Wings butterfly house. About 2 dozen species, live.

Nearby is the Exposition Park Rose Garden. There must be over 200 species each with their own little plot.

Also nearby is the California Science Center with it's adjacent Air & Space Exhibits Gallery, where they have on display a Mercury (Mercury-Redstone 2), a Gemini (Gemini 11), and an Apollo (Apollo-Soyuz) capsule. Real ones that flew. There was also an engineering prototype for the Viking landers. Outside I also found a favorite, an A-12 Oxcart - predecessor to the SR-71 Blackbird. You know, it's not as big as I was expecting, but MOST impressive to be able to stand under what has to be one of the most amazing aircraft ever conceived.

One thing that was very disappointing was the lack of discipline with the school groups visiting the museum. I swear, at times the exhibit rooms were more like kindergarten play grounds than museum halls. The group "counselors" did nothing to control the kids. And I'm surprised the museum staff allowed it. Made it difficult to enjoy the visit at times. I know kids are kids, but running up & down the halls, telling, screaming, etc... ????

Finally, I ended up taking over 730 pictures.

Brian