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Griffith Observatory
Rating Details »
Categories: Museums, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz2800 E Observatory Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(213) 473-0800
Enjoy Benefits with FOTO Membership
Friends Of The Observatory (FOTO) offers exclusive Observatory benefits to members.Visit http://www.friendsofth... for more details!
- Hours:
Tue-Fri. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
307 reviews for Griffith Observatory
Just went up here on Friday 11-13-09, It was such a beautiful clear day you could see the ranch hands having barn sex in Rolling Hills.
I do have one question...what exactly did they spend the million bucks on when they renovated this place a couple of years ago? Landscaping? BYOB, binoculars that is, those machines that cost 50 cents are a rip off.
Romance and Dreams
One of the most romantic places in the city. The ideal place to take a loved one and have romantic talks and walks. A place to plan and dream. I don't know about any of the other things this place has...but it does have romance! If someone ever takes you here.. Appreciate it.
Man, I've been on a museum/outting spree the past month!!
A friend of mine convinced me to come here with her and her boyfriend...when she told me she wanted me to come to the Griffith Observatory, the first thought through my mind was "yawn." I could think of better things I wanted to do on my day off....but this place blew me away!!!
What an amazing view this place has of LA! Seriously...I normally think LA county is ugly and not something I'd normally consider Pretty.....but the views here are simply amazing!!! If you don't go inside, go to just see the view of LA!!! Amazing!!!
We went inside to look around. There were some pretty awesome solar system room....with a scale of how much you'd weigh on each planet, a space ship, each planet, stars, etc. I was pretty amazed...and I am not a big solar system freak (my friends boyfriend is though).
They also have the Planetarium with seats that recline so you have a full view of the dome. The video and speaker for that is simply amazing...I didn't want it to end because I was so into it!!!
This place is just great! Great views of LA and you learn so much!!! Go here on a romantic date, or if you have kids and want to teach them some stuff...or you're bored on a Sunday and want something fun to do!
I love this place. I go about once a year and it always amazes me. The architecture is fantastic and the view is astounding. I usually also go to the planetarium show even though I'm pretty sure I can recite it myself by now. Just a great place to spend an hour or two.
I love you Griffith Observatory!
The staff is highly knowledgeable about the exhibits and demonstrations. Besides star gazing which is nearly impossible in el lay, they offer different shows at various times. I went to the First Light show which was amazing to learn about all the constellations and the stories behind them. Another favorite part of the Observatory? The display of the different moon phases and the giant pendulum.
Came here on a Wednesday night and parking was not a problem, but definitely a different story during the day or weekend.
Check out their current shows though! Centered in the Universe, Water is Life, and First Light. Tickets $7 for adults, $5 for students with id.
http://www.lacity.org/...
How could you not give this place 5 stars? It's amazing. We went one night when 2 telescopes were set up outside. One was focused on a star, the other on Saturn. Wow, I had never seen the rings like that unless I was looking at a picture. It was wonderful!
The huge telescope was up the stairs, on top of the building. We didn't get a chance to look through it because we didn't get in line on time. We will definitely check it out another time because I know it has to be even better than those little guys.
The view of LA is amazing; not one that you can get just anywhere. Has anyone else had that weird deja vu feeling before they realize they've seen the Griffith Observatory before, in Rebel Without a Cause? I know it surprised me when I finally figured out why it was completely familiar. Can't wait to go to a show at their planetarium sometime. I hope it's similar to the one in the movie.. "Someday the world will end.. BOOOM" and everyone crouches down, fearful.
Dear Griffith Observatory,
I'm sure you have seen some of the other reviews on here; some people love you, some people think you're just a building on another of L.A.'s many hilltops. I am here to let you know that you shouldn't listen to those who can't appreciate you for what you really are.
Your architecture is fascinating; it hearkens back to a more elegant era, where men wore suits to work, and women wore dresses to wash the dishes.
Your setting offers a much needed and welcome repose from the jungle that is Los Angeles; drive two or three minutes up a hill, and there you are, basking in the sun- or moonlight, rising like a beacon above the smog and the noise and the crowds.
Your insides, your guts, tell a story. This story allows us to understand the magnitude of the universe, and our place in it.
You are more than a hotspot for geeks; more than a "nice view". Anyone who cannot understand this, does not deserve what you have to give.
Always yours,
Me.
I always hike up and it's not only a good hike, but well worth it.
Experience something new, something unlike most things in LA. Try something educational.
Be surrounded by nature and beautiful views. You might even catch a glimpse of deer after you learn.
Do something that's not part of the commercial culture we're so used to.
I don't think I'll ever tire of going to the Griffith Observatory. It's the only thing that I feel I HAVE to do when I am in town.
I really enjoy the winding drive that leads you there.
I love the views that roll out across LA.
I love to think that if I were The Terminator, this is where I would want to arrive in Los Angeles, when travelling to 1984. Even way back then, the Governor oversaw LA,
great vistas of the city from here, just like Getty, but you can also see the Hollywood sign. the planetarium show (centered in the universe) is 30 min, $5-7 with a live narrator who has a great storytelling voice. not so different from other planetarium shows, but nice, almost totally reclined seating.
My boyfriend lives down the street from the Observatory and we've only been to the place once. The 1st time we decided to visit was the 4th of July. Hmmm, that was a huge mistake. Parking was practically non-existent and we had to park down the hill about half a mile far and walk back up. As I was complaining about this mini hike, an old lady walked past me at a very fast pace. That shut me up.
The view of the fireworks weren't as spectacular as I expected but the view of the city was breathtaking. I wish I had a camera that day to shoot some pics but it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Guys, this place will definitely score you points with a lady if you take her here on a date (and psst, it's free!). I wasn't too interested of the stuff inside the place but it was informational.
If you want a good time, please don't go here on a national holiday. I'm sure you'll enjoy it more when every nook & cranny of the balconies aren't filled. You won't want have to fight your way in with the guy that has his 5 foot tripod and the rest of his unholy camera equipment.
I love this place. When it's hot in Hollywood, it's a great place to go coz it will inevitably be about 10 degrees cooler.
I'm glad they finally opened the parking lot to the public again.
Great place to take out-of-towners during the day coz you can get a great shot of the hollywood sign.
It also has a great view of Hollywood and downtown Los angeles' skyline.
The actual observatory is awesome! The obelisk at the front features the astronomers that shaped modern science.
All the telescopes are in use and some are open to the public. One of them has a long queue though. But worth it!
The science galleries at the ground floor haven't changed but they are all interesting.
The new addition, the basement is beautiful and very informative. The jewelled timeline on th ewas down to the solar system gallery is fascinating!
The new cafe is good. Not cheap but definitely has a great view.
The new gift shopis waaaaay better than before.
Don't forget to visit the planetarium. Still good. Same as before though.
How can you not like the Griffith Observatory?! It's so COOL! I've only been here once a LOOOOONG time ago. So long.. I barely remembered what was in there. Only parts.. and pieces. Didn't even get to see the light show they had.
Since then, it has been renovated.. and the new place is NIiiiIIiiCeee! I went here with Frank M on a Friday night and there were a lot of people there. It was FUN! The view of LA was nice.
And, we got there just in time for their showing of "First Light" in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. ($5 only with student ID!) And, there's actually 3 different shows.. (First Light, Centered in the Universe (Yes Centered, not Center), and Water Is Life).
Inside the Planetairum, the seats were nice, plush, and recline-able! Once you sit back in these chairs and stair at the roof, you can't help but smile. And that's before the show had even start! The show was good! You get to learn about planets and stars. It really felt like you were outside looking at the stars FOR REAL.. but better.. because there were more stars. You just gotta see it!
After the show.. we went around looking at EVERYTHING. Some I felt like I was in Star Trek, or Event Horizon..or maybe a spaceship!
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Very cool place! I got to feel up on different meteors. Big ones.. small ones..even ones that came all the way from Mars AND the Moon! Can you say you've done that? :)
This place can make you realize something you don't normally think about everyday: we're small and insignificant in this large vast space of the universe.
I love this place!
Thanks to old man Jenkins Griffith all can come here and learn about astronomy and its even all free.
If you come and walk upstairs around 7pm you can get in line to peep through this awesome telescope at the moon or whatever they have it focused on that day.
I havnt been in so long I forgot just how awesome it really is. The view of Los Angeles is super sweet at sunset. Believe it!
I can't believe i have never been here before!!! I absolutely LOVED it!!! The traffic on the way there sucked, but once we got there it was well worth it.
We found parking without a problem, which was FREE!! And so was the admission! The place wasn't real busy when we got there but more people started showing up later in the day.. Next time i go i will probably go later so i can enjoy the sun setting and all the city lights!
There was a free short movie in the Horizon Theater which was really cool because it shows all the work they put into renovating it and other stuff about the observatory.. We saw this other show called Centered In The Universe. It costs $7 to see this and i think it is a MUST to see it if you're here!!
We had about an hour to kill before the show and had already seen all the exhibits so we stopped by the Cafe to have lunch. I got a Chicken Caesar Wrap which was like 7.50..it was pretty big and yummy! but after 2 of us got our wraps and drinks and chips =) it totalled to about $30...
I am definately going to be here again real soon!!!! ;D
Kyle's 5 Great Reasons to Come to Griffith Observatory:
1. You have kids.
2. You're into science, astronomy, and/or general learning.
3. You want an amazing panoramic view of LA in all it's smog-filled glory,
4. You want something free and romantical to do with a lady.
5. You want something free and bromantical to do with a buddy.
As for how I ended up here? A combo of 2, 3, and 5. I'd love to come back here sometime for a little number 4 though. Hopefully never 1.
Great place for a date. Go at night time. The night time view is great but I would think day time is also good as you get a nice view of the city.
The show "First LIght" is cool. you get to sit dont on really comfortable seats that recline back so you can get a good view of the dome roof since the show is shown on it. They show you really neat stuff about the sky. SOOO many stars that we dont see. Its $7 bucks general or $5 student ID. All you have do to is say you are a student but dont have it with you and youll get the discount.
After the show you can explore the rest of the stuff they have in the museum. You feel like certain sections come out of Star Trek or a Scifi movie. This place is really nicely done. Would definitely come again and check out a different show. Neat!
What can you say about an observatory?! It's big and awesome and cool? We came at the end of the night and admission was free. They had telescopes setup so you could look at the full moon. Most of the exhibits worked, except for a few. The guy even came out to turn on the Tesla coil for us. The pendulum display as you walk in is incredible and you could stand and watch it forever. The painted ceiling about it is also cool.
Place was really cool and I would definitely like to go there when I had more time. There was some sun exhibits I'd love to see and spend more time with the interactive stuff. Also, cool fact, that's where they filmed Rebel Without a Cause.
I haven't been here since my son was in 2nd or 3rd grade and well before the renovations. I have been wanting to go so this was stop 3 on my anniversary day outing.
The kids are back in school now so it is safe to go out to places like the zoo or Griffith Observatory again.
It was empty...if you haven't been here before you should come for the views alone. It is free and parking is free but if you want to see a show in the planetarium it is $7 and so worth it. There are currently 2 show on about water and the other is Centered in the Universe which was fantastic. Kids are only allowed to the early show IIRC and real little ones are not allowed due to visual issues...not sure why but ...it's nice and quiet during the show.
They have models of the observatory as well as Mt. Wilson which is really cool. There are a lot of things to see including the infra red camera which is my current profile photo http://static1.px.yelp...
Go Now!
Last stop on our outing Electric Lotus
Great place to expand your mind.
See my full blog post with pictures at:
http://www.mcginty.us/...
My parents just arrived into LAX and we were looking for something small to do before heading back to Long Beach. We've always wanted to go to Griffith Park, however never got around to it.
After arriving, we found that there wasn't anything small about it. In fact, I wish we had dedicated more time to it.
Parking was a bit rough. Since the Observatory is on the top of a mountain, there is only a limited number of spaces. Luckily someone left and we grabbed their spot.
We still had enough time to catch the "Centered in the Universe" program. Apparently their star projector is the best in the world. There was a bright blue sky outside, but inside the dome you were instantly transported to a dark evening. The show goes through the concepts of how the Universe was created; from past to the presently accepted theory.
Take time to explore the grounds of the Observatory. They offer the best view of the Hollywood sign and Downtown LA I've seen. Inside, there are many free exhibits from items ranging from Tesla's coil to the inner workings of a telescope.
It wasn't until after we left and read the brochure that we realized we missed a free show outlining the past, present and future of the Observatory in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. Next time we'll be sure to allow more time to have lunch at the cafe and take in another show.
Do you remember the scene when Jimmy Dean and that other peckerwood were locked in a knife fight overlooking Los Angeles? Or Sal Mineo waving a pistol at cops outside the entrance of the planetarium? Those were scenes shot here at Griffith. Times have changed since 54. The Observatory just underwent a major facelift, fresh coat of paint, new exhibits within- the edifice is immaculate. You can spot the Griffith Dome miles and miles away. Inside is a museum dedicated to the Milky Way galaxy and the Infinite. You'll be educated on the big bang theory with an incredible panorama made up of thousands of vintage shimmering pins and knicknacks.
The solar system begins with pitch darkness and one lonesome star. This star multiplies and dominoes into a magnificent outpour of sparkling light. At the end of the line is where we stand and breathe today- the blue planet. Other exhibits and models demonstrate the dominating magnitude of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune.
Me and the homies like to get a drink at the cafe and step onto the balcony that overlooks the vast expanse of the city of angels. Jimmy says farewell as you go back to your car with the cosmos on your mind.
. . . Mount Wilson is about to burn to the ground. Griffith park itself was threatened a couple years ago. let's do a better job at controlled burning.
After our hike, we stopped over to check it out. It was gorgeous! And the view of LA (minus the smog) was beautiful. We didnt go inside but we walked around the grounds & took a few pics & just checked out the view. The parking is pretty easy to find if you get there early. The next trip, I'll definately go inside to see the show. What an amazing building!
First of all I don't really know how you can give this place 5 stars. There's really not much here except views you can get on the top of the hills in a lot of other spots and maybe some cool view of outer space woopie!. Once you get here and see how great the view is you kinda get bored of everything else here.
Gorgeous (night) city view.
Need I say more?
It's freeee. Gratis. (minus the show)
Trust me, come early and you will be able to find parking. (If the lot fills up, park along the road going up to the observatory)
I recommend going on a weekday before the sun sets, early if possible, to avoid the crowds + running, screaming children =) and if you want to watch a show, they sell out pretty fast.
Great info on stars, eclipse, and crazy cosmic nerdy sh%t that I never paid attention to in school.
Just go!
My hubby was in LA for a training course, so I went down with him to spend some time together before his class. He's always wanted to check out Griffith Observatory since he's seen it in movies.
We packed a picnic and made our way up to the observatory. Parking and admission were both FREE! :) And there's plenty of space to eat and enjoy the view of smoggy LA.
If you're into space stuff, you'd love all the information inside. For us, we were too lazy to read, and just wanted to drink our wine, eat our salami, brie, red roasted hummus, and pita chips.
I would recommend this for a cute/cheap date. :)
Enchanting. I had a great date here once and I suppose that only makes me love this place even more. You can learn about stars, comets, astronauts, moon rocks, basically everything we humans know of that's beyond Earth. There are a number of excellent exhibits and ohhh even a movie! There's a cafe for when even knowledge won't feed you enough too. And the views! Wowzers. The views are a dream, especially if you time it to sunset. You will fall in love with Los Angeles and Hollywood all over again, if you haven't already. If you stay til evening time, you can catch a good view of the stars. Afterwards, lay on the grass with your cutie and let the chemistry take over. Also, there are hiking trails close to the observatory that you can take before or after your cosmic adventure. Oh, and it's all for FREEE (minus the food). Man, nerds have all the fun!
Short Version: Stellar!
Long Version: I've been visiting here for over two decades, and the place just keeps getting better. The Observatory has recently been renovated and brought up to date, and have made the visit here better than ever. From the presentations in the movie theatre (with screen projection better than IMAX) to the new displays about the cosmos and our own solar backyard, this is a day trip not to be missed. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the facilities are kept incredibly clean and the exhibits are well presented. Parking can get crowded, so be ready for a possible walk up the hill. But, it's well worth the trip. Check'em out!
I absolutely LOVE the Griffith Observatory. It is an amazing example of old school L.A./Hollywood Art Deco Architecture. I never experienced it pre-renovation (my parents never let us cross the orange curtain), but I love everything about it. The already mentioned architecture, the hills, mountains and wildlife surrounding it (including the Hollywood Sign), the displays, the pendulum in the center (which amazed me when I found out what it does), the amazing views of L.A.'s business districts and neighborhoods, even the Wolfgang Café. Plus, it's free! Thats a huge plus in my book. I need to make my way up there in the evening to see the sunset and city lights, I can imagine they are breath taking. I'm waiting for another rain storm or Santa Ana wind event to clear out the smog so I can get some amazing pics of our beautiful city!
This is definitely one place I would take a date to. The spectacular views of the city and the sun setting down into the Pacific will make any girl thrill. If I went on a date anytime soon, I'll be sure enough to take her here to sweep her off her feet. Although parking is a lil difficult to find, come here early enough and you'll get a prime spot right before sunset.
The scenery definitely sets the mood for a romantic evening. End the night with a splendid kiss enjoying the picturesque view and you might just take her breath away. =)
I'm going to begin my review by stating that I came here at around 4:30pm on a Saturday afternoon when it was approximately 95 degrees outside. Needless to say, after parking 8392043029038 miles down the street and sweating during my entire uphill hike to the observatory probably ruined my mood just a little bit.! =)
When we finally made it, I was a little underwhelmed. The observatory itself wasn't too big, or maybe they closed off sections of it. I think we toured the majority of it in about an hour, and I wasn't too impressed with too many of the exhibits. My friend and I both agreed that the American Museum of Natural History's observatory definitely beat out Griffith. Also, the view was just whatevs. Especially during the day. Wish I came during sunset or at night instead... will probably do that next time!
Griffith Observatory was, I think, the best thing I've ever done in Los Angeles. It was a fantastic experience going to this newly renovated place and the views from the top of the hill where it's located made it even better. The entrance is free and will enable you to walk around the exhibit and even the telescope located on the second floor.
But the real winner is the shows they have in their planetarium. I went to one called "Center of the Universe" and it was phenomenal! I mean it! The best I've ever seen out of a planetarium (and I've been to about 10-15). Even the special effects were ridiculously awesome. The narrator was spot on. Just perfect.
Unfortunately the lines are long for some of the things, but when we were there they had a special, monthly "Star Night" where amateurs are invited to peer through an extra 15 telescopes that are setup for them and interact with astronomers on the front lawn. Parking's a bit tricky, especially with the Greek Theater a half a mile away, but it's well worth it. A nice escape from the city and the smog, one that will please anyone young and old alike!
On such a hot day, I decided to see stars in the cool Samuel Oschin Planetarium at Griffith Observatory. I saw the refreshing 'Water Is Life' show but it really didn't matter what they were playing because the visuals are always so stunning that my heart rate slows down and I'm as cool as can be.
I might have fallen asleep except the strange voice of the lecturer sounded like a new age Carol Channing. She's obviously done voiceovers or radio in a previous life as she turned a herd of one-syllable words into three-syllable words and she may have inhaled helium every once in a while, too. Sounding like a dinner theatre Shakespeare, she got so carried away with the sound of her own voice that I wondered what planetary trip she was on.
No matter. I still enjoyed my cosmic journey and the Griffith Observatory is as much about the views outside as the views inside. Everyone should visit here.
i love love LOVE astronomy.. and just science in general. i was so excited to be in the area so i could check out the observatory!
i was greeted by a gorgeous area...the views, the building, the neighborhood -- all stunning.
my bf and i walked around the entire place, checked out all the exhibits..my fave was the periodic table that had a little bit of the element inside the glass case...soo cool! i had to memorize the entire periodic table my 1st year of college, and i had no idea what most of the crap i was memorizing was, so it was definitely neat to see this.
i like that the place is free and parking's free, and the show is a minimal fee, especially for students!
HOWEVER...when my bf and i went to the desk to buy tickets, we saw there was a show at 4:15. it was 4:17, so we hoped we could still catch it.. we went up to the desk and asked the woman sitting there, "is it too late to catch the 4:15 show?" she replied WITH AN ATTITUDE, "it's 4:20pm, yes it is too late."
UHMM, thank you captain obvious, i'm quite capable of telling time, a simple "yes" without the side of bitchassness would have sufficed. she totally killed the visit for me. i didn't even want to wait for the next showing because i didn't want to speak to her...so we just left. :(
if i weren't sober and surrounded by families, if it were anywhere else, i probably wouldn't have left without giving her a piece of my mind. ruuuuuuuuuude!
i wish this place had more exhibits because we went through everything in about an hour....maybe i'm a fast reader? walker? don't know...maybe i'll be back to catch the shows, and hopefully i won't run into that rude woman.
If you're looking for a romantic, cultured, cheap date in the city, look no further than the Griffith Observatory. Clearly news of this place's magic has spread like wildfire because this place is crawling with couples, teenagers and oldsters. As I saw one couple make a run for their car and take off quickly down the hill, I wondered if perhaps the Griffith Observatory doesn't just help you get into someone's pants, but rather that is causes you to feel the almost uncontrollable need to rip them off your person and get down to some crazed love-making.
OK, OK. This place is great and it deserves a serious review, and know what, I'm sure there's one listed somewhere on this page. I feel satisfied in knowing that I'm provided the most helpful one!
This is a great place not only to see a gorgeous view of L.A. and surrounding areas, but it also has lots of nerdy science stuff like information on stars, periodic elements, eclipses and the moon, there's even a pendulum and a planetarium! But really, the view is amazing! I haven't gone at night, but I can imagine that it's beautiful with the stars and building lights.
This is a definite place to take L.A. visitors or if you're a local and just want to enjoy the view of L.A.
CAN YOU SAY FREE? NICE JOB! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!
I drove to LA to visit with family and to check out the Griffith Observatory! I LOVE this place! It's so awesome! People were hanging out having picnics, looking through telescopes, and just enjoying being together!
There are exhibits in the observatory which helps you learn more about the planets and earth and I am just in awe in how such a wonderful Planetarium this place is!
The view from this place is a photographers dream both during the day and at night! If I could give any suggestions, you need to get here early before the parking lots gets too full and plan on staying through the night! It will be well worth it! Trust me!
While we visited LA, I was there for July 4th fireworks and then the next day in the morning. Parking was kinda difficult but we got lucky. Saw family, couples, and people just enjoying the scenary.
The museum I loved and it was free, that was really great when you really don't want spend money. Be prepared for the weather and the steep hills that await visitors.
I had only been here once when I was a little girl, and it hasn't changed much. I am not huge on the stuff inside the Observatory, but loved the view. We went here after a long day at the zoo, so I was already sore from walking. Dad wanted to stay and take pictures. He got some nice ones, but it was a little hazy. The view is great, you can see almost all the way to the ocean. Nice place to come on a date.
