At a Glance
- The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County reopens First Fridays on Feb. 6, 2026
- Tickets start at $20 for members, $30 for the public, and $75 for the Silver Package with parking
- The 2026 series debuts “Life, From Our Guts to the Galaxy: Rethinking the Living World”
- Guests can dance in the normally off-limits North American Mammal Hall
Why it matters: For one night a month you can sip cocktails, hear live music, and debate astrophysics under a T. rex-an only-in-L.A. experience that sells out fast.
Southern California’s most cerebral party series is back. First Fridays, the 20-year tradition that turns the Natural History Museum into a dance-hall-cum-lecture-hall, kicks off its 2026 season Feb. 6 and runs through early June.
What First Fridays Actually Is
Think TED Talks with a bar tab. After the galleries close to regular visitors, ticket holders roam dinosaur-filled corridors while scientists host pop-up demos, DJs spin in the fossil halls, and indie bands soundtrack the night. The museum explicitly relaxes its usual “no dancing near the mastodons” rule for the event.
The format is simple: a headline talk, live music, rotating DJ sets, and open access to select exhibits. Each evening centers on one big scientific question; February’s opener asks how the microscopic ecosystems inside our bodies shape human identity.
2026 Theme and Speakers
This year’s umbrella title is “Life, From Our Guts to the Galaxy: Rethinking the Living World.” The Feb. 6 session, “Life at the Human Scale,” features researchers exploring the unseen microbes that influence health and self-perception.
Future installments will move from the microscopic to the cosmic, though the museum has not yet released later speakers. Past iterations have hosted astrophysicists, ethnobotanists, and paleontologists who unpacked topics like exoplanet atmospheres or the evolution of felines.
Night-of Activities
- Curiosity Crawl: Scientists staff interactive stations scattered through the galleries
- Live set: Jay Som, the dreamy L.A. indie project, headlines
- DJ rotation: KCRW’s Novena Carmel and Wyldflower supply dance-worthy grooves
- Exhibit preview: Last chance to see “Fierce! The Story of Cats” before it closes
Doors open at 6 p.m.; programming runs into the late evening. Bars serve beer, wine, and themed cocktails-previous menus have featured drinks like the “Cretaceous Cooler.”
Tickets and Perks
Admission tiers:
- Members: $20
- Public: $30
- Silver Package: $75 (includes parking and express entry)
Sales are live on the museum’s website. Capacity is capped and nights typically sell out, so organizers advise buying early. The series repeats on select Fridays through early June; exact spring dates will be announced later.
Why the Event Still Matters After Two Decades
First Fridays launched in 2006 as an experiment: could a natural-history museum compete with clubs and concert venues? The answer was yes. The mash-up of research lectures and nightlife drew students, artists, and curious locals who wouldn’t otherwise spend a Friday night debating gut flora under a 65-million-year-old skeleton.
Over 20 seasons the program has hosted more than 200 scientists and 150 bands, becoming a pipeline for researchers to test public-facing talks and for Angelenos to mingle with working scientists outside academic walls.
Pro Tips for First-Timers
- Arrive early: Parking around Exposition Park fills quickly; the Silver Package guarantees a spot
- Wear comfortable shoes: You’ll cover three floors of exhibits and dance floors
- Bring a jacket: The 1920s-era building can get drafty after dark
- Download the museum app: A digital map pinpoints every Curiosity Crawl station
- Follow the social tag: #NHMLAFirstFridays for real-time set lists and surprise pop-up locations
Key Takeaways
First Fridays is the rare cultural event that balances genuine scholarship with genuine fun. For $30 you get a concert ticket, science lecture, after-hours museum access, and the bragging rights of having danced next to a saber-toothed cat. The 2026 season starts Feb. 6 and wraps by June-secure tickets now before they vanish.
