The Griffith Observatory and its grounds are set upon the southern slope of Mount Hollywood. Since its doors were opened in 1935, the Observatory has been one of the key space & science exhibitions in Los Angeles. The Observatory has a wide array of things to experience, key among them being the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. It can seat 300 people beneath its massive seventy-five foot dome.
The planetarium has both a dual-laser video projection system and a state-of-the-art star projector that can show how the night sky looked at any time in history. If you wish to observe the actual night sky in great detail, you can make use of the Observatory’s powerful 16-foot-long refracting telescope. But even if you don’t go in the evening, there are other fascinating things to see. On a clear day, you can safely view both solar flares and sunspots with the solar telescope. There are also several coin-operated telescopes overlooking Los Angeles on the south and west sides of the building.
In addition to a half dozen monuments, terraces, an observation deck, and other displays outside, the Griffith Observatory has a number of main indoor exhibition areas:
- The Wilder Hall of the Eye depicts the history and progress of our observation of the sky.
- The Ahmanson Hall of the Sky provides an in-depth look at the sun and the moon, and what we know about them.
- The W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda contains Murals, the Foucault Pendulum – an experiment that proved that the earth rotated, and an exhibit on Griffith J. Griffith, the man who donated funds and the land for the Observatory.
- The Gunther Depths of Space exhibit illuminates our universe, from the Earth to the Planets, to the Milky Way!
- From the Observatory grounds, you can also get fantastic views of the Hollywood Sign, the Pacific Ocean, and Downtown Los Angeles.
The Griffith Observatory is open from 12:00 noon – 10:00 pm Wednesday through Friday, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm Saturday & Sunday, and is closed Mondays and most Tuesdays. Admission to the grounds, exhibits, and telescopes is free, while the planetarium costs $7 for adults, $5 for students & seniors, and $3 for children 5-12 years old.
If you get hungry while at the Observatory, you can visit the Café at the End of the Universe, for a reasonably-priced bite to eat.
Griffith Observatory’s website can be found at griffithobservatory.org.
Griffith Observatory
2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: (213) 473-0800
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