Gaze at the stars while you marvel at the art deco splendour of LA’s galactic landmark.
Perched near the Hollywood sign, high above the city, you’ll find the Griffith Observatory, where you can get the best views of the night sky, expand your mind and take off on an intergalactic adventure. Views aren’t what they used to be because of LA’s fog and haze that permanently hangs in the air, but you can still see beyond the smog to glimpse stars, moon craters, Jupiter’s satellites and Saturn’s rings.You may recognise its three copper-cladded domes from various sci-fi flicks, including The Terminator and the 1955 James Dean film Rebel Without a Cause. The observatory has also played its part in real space exploration this is the place where the Apollo astronauts learned about celestial navigation.There are also over 60 space-related displays. The observatory has a 300-seat planetarium beneath the central dome and its own multimedia theatre, the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon, which is used for education programmes and activities.Search for the stars using the Zeiss refracting telescope, solar telescopes and other instruments that are available for public use. Time your visit to coincide with the free monthly star party where you can use the different telescopes to study the moon, see visible planets and other objects in the solar system.When you’re ready to come back down to Earth, take some time to explore the grounds surrounding the observatory for some breath-taking views. From the south slope of Mount Hollywood, you’ll be able to see the LA basin laid out before you. Visit at night and see the city lights sparkling below.Griffith Observatory is about 13 kilometres north of downtown. It’s open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, but is closed during most holidays, so it’s best to check before planning a visit. Admission to the observatory and the surrounding grounds is free, but there is an additional fee for some attractions.
