Explore the wonders of our solar system and the galaxy at Griffith Observatory. Donated to the city over a century ago, the observatory offers free admission to an array of space and science exhibits, including a nationally recognized planetarium and public telescopes. Situated high on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood, the complex offers views of downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, and the Pacific Ocean. Secure a spot outside after visiting the observatory to enjoy views of the Hollywood sign or the dramatic coastline. Make Griffith Observatory a part of your Los Angeles vacation plans using our Los Angeles trip planner.
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Griffith Observatory reviews
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The observatory was closed when we visited, but the building is beautiful, and the view overlooking Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign in the distance was outstanding! more »
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The views are great, but the scientific exhibits were the better surprise for me. This is an actual functional observatory, not just a pretty building. And the exhibits are engaging, even if you're... more »
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The observatory is a great place to visit. The views from the top of the hill are awesome. The stuff inside is great too. There's a lot to see and a lot of informative information about everything from stars and planets to seasons and eclipses. The telescope at the top is nice but be warned it is actually opened to use from 7-9:30pm before that you can only get a glimpse at it. They have a few nice shows to check out as well. Once you're done seeing everything you can inside there are nice trails you can walk too. The only downside in my opinion is the drive to get up there. It goes through one winding residential road and it takes forever because of that reason. If you park down by the Greek expect a long up hill and steep walk or a long line for the shuttle. Walking back to my car there was a huge line of people waiting for the shuttle back down. Once you go up to the observatory parking lot it's small and cramped but there were quite a few spaces even though there was a sign saying the lot was full and there were also a few spots along the side of the road closer to the top. The cost is $10 an hour so I wouldn't expect to many people to pay for more than a couple of hours.
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Great place to visit. The scene from the top of the hill is very nice. We can see the Hollywood hill from here. Inside the observatory, there are a lot of interesting information help to understand better about our universe. The way they explain and visualize knowledge is very creative and easy to understand. They also provide excellent performance about some subject. I joined the Water- the origin of life. It was fantastic. Even though it is always crowded and very hard to find a place for parking, I still think this is a must-see destination in LA.
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