Fill Up Your Youngster’s Free Time by Taking Inexpensive Field Trips

I’m willing to bet that, with barely a week of winter break done and even more on the way, your son or daughter is already getting jumpy--and you may be too.

Once he or she has indulged in as many TV reruns, video games and other diversions as you’re willing to allow, why not use the empty days to take advantage of some of L.A.’s best educational and entertaining options: museums with free or inexpensive admission?

First the freebies. As an astronomy addict, I spend a lot of time at the Hall of Science and Telescope at Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. There’s no better way to learn about our universe and the equipment used to study it. Adults and kids of all ages will enjoy and learn from dozens of hands-on, interactive exhibits.

The hall is open seven days (except holidays) from 12:30 to 10 p.m., and free viewing through the renowned telescope is offered from 7 to 9:45 p.m. nightly. Fees are charged for shows.

Plenty of free parking is another observatory bonus. Information: (213) 664-1191.

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The California Museum of Science and Industry, near the 10 and 110 freeways in Exposition Park, is free every day of the week. The only catch: Parking costs $3.

Still, you can’t beat the museum for allowing your child to explore the practical side of theories studied in schoolbooks.

There are many hands-on, permanent displays, and a couple of special events right now: The “Two of Every Sort” exhibit explores the biological origins of human behavior by comparing human cultures and animal species; “Creative Computer” graphics demonstrations occur several times every day.

Information: (213) 744-7400.

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The Museum of Tolerance in West Los Angeles must be mentioned because it is a hot destination for museum fans right now. But they don’t offer free-admission days, and tickets cost $7.50 for adults. If you’re not discouraged, call (310) 553-8403 for reservations.

Those interested in a less expensive way to view exhibits and multimedia materials about the Holocaust in Germany during World War II should consider the Museum of the Holocaust, at 6505 Wilshire Blvd.

It provides an unforgettable photo narrative of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and his campaign against Jews and other groups. Video monitors show survivors telling their stories, and photos show what life was like for European Jews before World War II. There’s also a boxcar replica and a model of Poland’s Sobibor death camp.

Please make sure your child is able to deal with the topics and exhibits.

The Museum of the Holocaust is always free, and offers free (validated) parking. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; (213) 651-3175.

The Santa Monica Heritage Museum, 2612 Main St. in Santa Monica, isn’t free, but with a $2 adult admission and free admission for kids younger than 12, it’s still a bargain. There’s free parking, too.

The museum’s main attraction right now is a surfing exhibit: boards, photos, videos, music--everything you and your child ever wanted to know about longboards.

Permanent displays include historical design shows, art and toys. Also, each room of the museum is decorated and furnished in the style of a different time period. An extensive photo archive contains many pictures of the city’s early years.

The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.; (310) 392-8537.

The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens at UCLA provide a free ecological trek seven days a week.

Pamphlets near the north entrance help your child navigate a tour through the 4,000 species of native and exotic plants. Exhibits include a desert section, a water feature, tropical

plants, and plants from Hawaii and Australia.

The gardens are at Hilgard and Leconte avenues on the UCLA campus. Information: (310) 825-1260.

There’s parking available at a nearby medical building, but it costs $5. Your best bet is to park along Hilgard; most residents of the sorority houses there are gone for the holidays and street parking is unusually easy.

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Finally, consider one of L.A.’s oldest and most cherished museums: The George C. Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.

The Museum is free next Tuesday, and the first Tuesday of every month. Parking costs $4, but you can often find metered parking on nearby streets.

The museum displays fossils of animals and birds that lived in the region during the Ice Age, all of which were excavated from the tar pits.

There is also a series of free films.

The Tar Pits and Page Museum are located at 5801 Wilshire Blvd. in Hancock Park; (213) 936-2230.