Griffith Observatory 🇺🇸

Positioned on the southern slopes of Mount Hollywood inside Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory is a landmark public astronomy facility in Los Angeles, California. The site offers expansive views across the Los Angeles Basin, extending to Downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, alongside a clear perspective of the nearby Hollywood Sign. Combining Greek and Beaux-Arts architectural styles with Art Deco and Moderne influences, the exterior is adorned with Greek key patterns and surrounds extensive science and space exhibits.

The observatory was established following an 1896 donation of land and construction funds by Griffith J. Griffith, who envisioned a facility that would make astronomical knowledge readily accessible to the general public. Designed by architects John C. Austin and Frederic M. Ashley, the institution opened in May 1935 as the third planetarium in the United States. Throughout its history, the venue served as a training location for World War II pilots and 1960s Apollo astronauts learning celestial navigation. The facility underwent a major renovation and underground expansion funded primarily by public bonds, reopening in late 2006 with upgraded planetarium equipment, new exhibit halls, a theater, and a café.

Inside, the observatory is divided into six distinct exhibit areas. The Central Rotunda features restored ceiling murals, a Foucault pendulum, and a tribute to the site's benefactor. The Wilder Hall of the Eye explores the evolution of observation tools with displays such as a Tesla coil and a camera obscura, while the Ahmanson Hall of the Sky presents celestial phenomena using a solar telescope. On the lower level, the Depths of Space Hall displays solar system models alongside "The Big Picture," a massive astronomical photograph showing the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. Outside on the lawn stands the 1934 Astronomers Monument topped with an armillary sphere, as well as a commemorative bust of actor James Dean located on the western grounds.

Admission to the observatory building and its surrounding grounds is free to the public. Visitors can purchase tickets for daily planetarium shows presented beneath the central dome, which utilize high-resolution laser projection and star simulation technology. Whenever weather permits, free public viewing of the night sky is provided using outdoor portable telescopes and the historic 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope. The observatory is closed on Mondays and can be accessed by walking trail paths or taking a shuttle bus from the Greek Theater parking area.