Griffith Observatory

About the Business

Specialties

Avoid traffic congestion and parking fees. Ride DASH Observatory/Los Feliz! Griffith Observatory is an icon of Los Angeles, a national leader in public astronomy, a beloved civic gathering place, and one of southern California's most popular attractions. The Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, just above the Los Feliz neighborhood. It is 1,134 feet above sea level and is visible from many parts of the Los Angeles basin. Admission to the Observatory building and grounds is FREE. There are charges for parking and to see shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. There are many ways to get to Griffith Observatory! The easiest and fastest way is via public transportation. You can also hike, bike, or walk up from parking elsewhere in Griffith Park. There is an hourly charge for paid parking near the Observatory. Roads leading up to the Observatory get very congested at busy times (weekends, evenings, holidays, spring break, summer), and parking near the Observatory is limited. Griffith Observatory is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks. The Director of Griffith Observatory is Dr. E. C. Krupp.

History

Established in 1935.

Griffith Observatory is one of the most visited destinations in southern California and the most popular public observatory in the world. It was built with funds from the bequest of Griffith J. Griffith (1850-1919) and opened to the public on May 14, 1935. The building closed for renovation and expansion on January 6, 2002, and reopened on November 3, 2006. The original Observatory had approximately 27,000 square feet of interior space. The renovated and expanded building has roughly 67,000 square feet, including nearly triple the amount of exhibit gallery space. See the "About" section of the Observatory's website for a more detailed history.