Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory is a facility in Los Angeles, California, sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles' Griffith Park.

Griffith Jenkins Griffith, a Welsh immigrant, donated the land and funds to build both the observatory and a Greek Theater.

The observatory was opened on May 14, 1935.

During World War II, the observatory's planetarium was used to train pilots to navigate using the stars. It was also used to train Apollo program astronauts in the 1960s.

Since the observatory opened in 1935, admission has been free, in accordance with Griffith's will. However, one must make a reservation to visit the building.

The building is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles' Griffith Park, just above the neighborhood of Los Feliz.

The observatory has appeared in many movies including Rebel Without A Cause, The Terminator, The Rocketeer, The End of Violence, Bowfinger, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, and Queen of the Damned. It has also been featured on many television shows.

Location

2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, California
USA

Getting There

Here are some possible ways to get there:

By car: You can reach the Griffith Observatory by car via several major highways, including I-5 and CA-134. There is a large parking lot located near the observatory, but it can fill up quickly during peak visiting hours.

By public transportation: You can also reach the observatory by taking public transportation. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has several bus lines that serve the area, including the DASH Observatory bus, which runs between the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station and the observatory.

By bike or foot: If you're in the Los Feliz area, you can easily bike or walk to the Griffith Observatory. There are several bike and pedestrian paths that lead to the observatory from nearby neighborhoods.

It's important to note that the Griffith Observatory is a popular tourist destination, and parking in the area can be limited. It's recommended to use public transportation or to arrive early to find parking. Additionally, the observatory offers free admission to its exhibitions, but some programs and shows require advanced reservations and additional fees.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in California that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.