Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory sits on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, at 2800 E Observatory Road in Los Angeles, California. The Art Deco building opened in 1935 and was extensively renovated and expanded underground in 2006. Admission to the building, the grounds and the evening public telescopes is free, which makes it one of the most accessible science attractions in the United States. Inside, the Hall of the Eye and Hall of the Sky cover astronomy fundamentals, while the Wise Family Telescope Gallery, the Tesla coil demonstration and the Foucault pendulum in the central rotunda are perennial favorites. The Depths of Space exhibits and the Gunther Depths of Space gallery place the Earth in cosmic context. The Samuel Oschin Planetarium runs live-narrated shows under a domed projection system, for which a separate ticket of roughly ten dollars per adult applies. On clear nights, volunteers set up telescopes on the lawn and rooftop, and the Zeiss refractor on the east dome is open to the public for viewing the moon and planets. The rooftop terraces and the front lawn offer the signature panorama: downtown Los Angeles skyline to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean on a clear day to the southwest, and the Hollywood Sign on the hillside to the northwest. A typical visit lasts two to three hours, longer if a planetarium show and sunset viewing are included. Crowds are heaviest on weekends, holidays and clear summer evenings, when the access road backs up and parking fills early. Weekday afternoons are far calmer. The observatory is closed on Mondays. Visitors can reach the site by hiking from the Fern Dell or Vermont Canyon trailheads, or by riding the LA DASH Observatory shuttle from the Vermont/Sunset Metro B Line station for a small fare. Food is limited to the Cafe at the End of the Universe on the lower level, so many visitors bring water and snacks for the grounds.