The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) has opened its $75 million NHM Commons expansion to the public. Designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, with landscape architecture by Studio-MLA and exhibition spaces by Studio Joseph, the NHM Commons comprises approximately 75,000 square feet of renovated and newly constructed space.

The centerpiece of the design is a transparent glass façade, creating a visual connection between the museum and Exposition Park. Inside, the Commons Theater and various multipurpose spaces have been built to accommodate an expanded slate of community-centered programming. The new spaces facilitate engagement with science, culture, and nature, including areas for those visiting without a ticket. 

Outside, Studio-MLA has developed a community plaza in collaboration with Native American advisors, featuring sustainable planting, Tongva-inspired mortar installations, and an open amphitheater for gatherings. Elsewhere, the NHM Commons includes hospitality amenities for visitors. The newly opened South LA Café serves locally sourced food and beverages in an inviting plaza setting, while the Commons Marketplace retail space offers products inspired by the museum’s exhibits and local artistry.

At the Judith Perlstein Welcome Center, visitors encounter two standout features. “Gnatalie,” a 75-foot sauropod skeleton and the most complete specimen of its kind on the West Coast, is also the world’s first mounted green fossil. Alongside the exhibit is Barbara Carrasco’s historic 80-foot mural, L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective, which chronicles the city’s history through intricate vignettes. The mural was censored in 1981 when the artist refused to remove 14 vignettes that were deemed too controversial, including the 1871 Chinese massacre, the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943.

“NHM Commons is a site for access, discovery, and community," said Fred Fisher, Founding Partner of Frederick Fisher and Partners, about the scheme. “The singular gesture from the very beginning was to connect the new museum Commons and entry to its surrounding context of Exposition Park and let the park flow into the Museum.”

“Our philosophy from the start was that the building itself is not the content, but rather a framework to allow NHM and the community to make it their own through programming, exhibitions, events, and ongoing research,” Fisher added. “We are delighted that people are attracted to its transparency. Our practice was built in Los Angeles and we are very proud to have had a hand in shaping the future of this iconic community institution.”