Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory is a public observatory, planetarium, and exhibition space located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles's Griffith Park. It commands a spectacular view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Founded through a donation from Griffith J. Griffith and opened in 1935, the facility is dedicated to public astronomy and has become an iconic cultural landmark.

History

The institution was conceived following a 1896 donation of over 3,000 acres of land to the City of Los Angeles by Welsh-American industrialist and philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith. After visiting the Mount Wilson Observatory in 1904, Griffith was inspired to fund a public observatory for Los Angeles, stating that astronomy should be accessible to all. His 1919 will provided the necessary funds for its construction. The observatory was designed by architects John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley, with advisory input from renowned astronomers like George Ellery Hale of the Mount Wilson Observatory. Construction began in 1933 using funds from the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, and it opened to the public on May 14, 1935, instantly becoming a popular attraction. It has undergone several major renovations, most notably a comprehensive $93 million restoration and expansion that closed the facility from 2002 until its grand reopening in November 2006.

Architecture and features

The building is a celebrated example of Art Deco and Greek Revival architectural styles, constructed primarily of reinforced concrete and steel faced with California granite and copper. Its most distinctive exterior features are the central copper-clad domes, which house the planetarium and the main telescope. The facade is adorned with intricate Art Deco murals and sculptures, including the iconic "Astronomers Monument" created by artists of the Public Works of Art Project, depicting six great astronomers: Hipparchus, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton, and William Herschel. The interior features grand rotundas, terrazzo floors with celestial designs, and a monumental Foucault pendulum that demonstrates the Earth's rotation.

Exhibits and telescopes

The facility houses a wide array of permanent exhibits that explore topics in astronomy, astrophysics, and the Earth and space sciences. Key exhibits include the "Gunther Depths of Space" hall, which features scale models of planets and a 150-pound bronze relief of the Moon, and the "Edge of Space" mezzanine, which displays meteorite specimens including a large fragment of the Canyon Diablo meteorite. Its most famous instrument is the 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope, installed at opening in 1935 and still one of the most heavily used public telescopes in the world. The 290-seat Samuel Oschin Planetarium, completely rebuilt in 2006, features a state-of-the-art Zeiss star projector and digital laser projection system for immersive shows. Additional public telescopes include solar telescopes for daytime viewing.

Public programs and events

It offers an extensive schedule of free public programs, including daily live shows in the planetarium, telescope viewing sessions every clear evening, and monthly "Public Star Parties" hosted in partnership with local amateur astronomy organizations like the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and the Sidewalk Astronomers. Educational programs serve tens of thousands of schoolchildren annually, and the observatory's staff astronomers present regular lectures on celestial events such as lunar eclipses, solar eclipses, and comet appearances. The grounds are also a prime viewing location for major city events like the annual Fourth of July fireworks displays over Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles.

In popular culture

The iconic building and its panoramic views have made it one of the most filmed locations in the world, featuring prominently in dozens of major motion pictures. Its most famous cinematic appearances include the climactic dance sequence in James Dean's *Rebel Without a Cause* (1955), which cemented its status as a Los Angeles icon, as well as key scenes in films like *The Terminator* (1984), *The Rocketeer* (1991), *Jurassic Park* (1993), and *La La Land* (2016). It has also been featured in numerous television series, including episodes of *Star Trek: Voyager*, *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, and *24*, and serves as a backdrop in countless music videos and commercial advertisements.

Category:Observatories in California Category:Planetaria in the United States Category:Art Deco architecture in Los Angeles Category:Buildings and structures in Los Angeles Category:1935 establishments in California