Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles

I live near L.A., and I've been bringing kids here for years and we still find it enjoyable. This is the perfect size (small) museum: enough info to whet your interest, interactive exhibits, great graphics with language you can understand, and impressive sabre tooth, dire wolf and wooly mammoth recreations. There's a beautiful courtyard atrium to catch some fresh air. Visit the gift shop for some token momento, and then let the kids run off some energy in the adjacent park. Kids love to roll down the hill that surrounds the museum. The tar pits here are always a crowd-pleaser, and then if you want to continue the day, get the cooler from the car and have a picnic. Perfect family afternoon.