Located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the Griffith Observatory is literally at the center of the Los Angeles metropolis. It offers breathtaking views over much of the city, including the skyscrapers of Downtown. Inaugurated in 1935, the building is in the Art Deco style, with Egyptian influences. During the Second World War, the observatory was requisitioned to train pilots in astronomical navigation. In the 1960s, it was even selected to train Apollo astronauts for the first lunar missions.
Over the decades, the Griffith Observatory has become an icon of American cinema, appearing in numerous films. The most iconic is undoubtedly Rebel Without a Cause in 1955, starring James Dean. We can also mention Terminator in 1984 and Transformers in 2007.
The Griffith Observatory features telescopes for star gazing. But it also boasts a planetarium offering magnificent scientific exhibits. The observatory’s ultra-modern aluminum dome houses impressive multimedia exhibits, exploring the mysteries of the cosmos and answering fundamental questions about our place in the universe. Located in the dome, the Zeiss telescope enables night-time observation of the moon, planets and stars of our galaxy. Also not to be missed: Hall of the eye, an exhibition gallery focusing on the progress made by human beings in understanding the universe.
The Griffith Observatory visit was made on March 26, 2023.
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