Griffith Park Observatory
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Griffith Observatory is an
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in
Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the ...
. It commands a view of the
Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is a sedimentary basin located in Southern California, in a region known as the Peninsular Ranges. The basin is also connected to an anomalous group of east-west trending chains of mountains collectively known as the ...
including
Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is a ...
to the southeast,
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
to the south, and the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
to the southwest. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with a close view of the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelli ...
and an extensive array of space and science-related displays. It is named after its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith. Admission has been free since the observatory's opening in 1935, in accordance with the benefactor's will. Over 7 million people have been able to view through the 12-inch (30.5 cm)
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
refractor since the observatory's 1935 opening; this is the most people to have viewed through any telescope.


History

On December 16, 1896, of land surrounding the observatory was donated to the City of Los Angeles by Griffith J. Griffith.A History of Griffith Observatory
. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
In his will Griffith donated funds to build an observatory, exhibit hall, and
planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a Theater (structure), theatre built primarily for presenting educational entertainment, educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navi ...
on the donated land. Griffith's objective was to make astronomy accessible to the public, as opposed to the prevailing idea that observatories should be located on remote mountaintops and restricted to scientists.Harnisch, Larry. (2013, February 25)
''A cosmic gift to L.A.''
The Los Angeles Times: retrieved 2013-02-26.
Griffith drafted detailed specifications for the observatory. In drafting the plans, he consulted with
Walter Sydney Adams Walter Sydney Adams (December 20, 1876 – May 11, 1956) was an American astronomer. Life and work Adams was born in Antioch, Turkey, to Lucien Harper Adams and Nancy Dorrance Francis Adams, missionary parents, and was brought to the U.S. i ...
, the future director of Mount Wilson Observatory, and
George Ellery Hale George Ellery Hale (June 29, 1868 – February 21, 1938) was an American solar astronomer, best known for his discovery of magnetic fields in sunspots, and as the leader or key figure in the planning or construction of several world-lead ...
, who founded (with
Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in ...
) the first astrophysical telescope in Los Angeles. As a
Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
(WPA) project, construction began on June 20, 1933, using a design developed by architects John C. Austin and Frederic Morse Ashley (1870-1960), based on preliminary sketches by
Russell W. Porter Russell Williams Porter (December 13, 1871 – February 22, 1949) was an American artist, engineer, amateur astronomer and Arctic explorer. He was a pioneer in the field of “cutaway illustration" and is sometimes referred to as the "founder" or ...
. The observatory and accompanying exhibits were opened to the public on May 14, 1935, as the country's third planetarium. In its first five days of operation the observatory logged more than 13,000 visitors. Dinsmore Alter was the museum's director during its first years. The building combines Greek and Beaux-Arts influences, and the exterior is embellished with the Greek key pattern. During World War II, the planetarium was used to train pilots in celestial navigation. The planetarium was again used for this purpose in the 1960s to train Apollo program astronauts for the first lunar missions.


Griffith Observatory Foundation

Griffith Observatory Foundation was chartered in 1978 as Friends Of The Observatory. It was founded by Debra Griffith and Harold Griffith (the grandson of the observatory's benefactor) with Dr. E.C. Krupp (the current Observatory Director) and a small group of dedicated partners. The foundation supports the observatory in its mission of public astronomy and advocated the restoration and expansion of the observatory. The foundation continues to promote the observatory as an agent of science literacy, education, and experiential astronomy.


Renovation and expansion

The observatory closed on January 6, 2002 for renovation and a major expansion of exhibit space. It reopened to the public on November 2, 2006, retaining its
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unit ...
exterior. The $93 million renovation, paid largely by a public bond issue, restored the building, as well as replaced the aging planetarium dome. The building was expanded underground, with completely new exhibits, a café, gift shop, and the new
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the '' Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, th ...
Event Horizon Theater. A wildfire in the hills came dangerously close to the observatory on May 10, 2007. On May 25, 2008, the Observatory offered visitors live coverage of the '' Phoenix'' landing on
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
. On October 15, 2017, brush fires approached the Observatory Trail, but were extinguished before causing any structural damage. On July 10, 2018, the Griffith Observatory was evacuated after a brush fire burned 25 acres and damaged cars but was extinguished before it damaged any buildings.
Ed Krupp Edwin Charles Krupp (born November 18, 1944) is an American astronomer, researcher, author, and popularizer of science. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of archaeoastronomy, the study of how ancient cultures viewed the sky ...
has been the director of the Observatory since 1974. He has been responsible for updating the technology and the building for over 45 years. File:Observatory dusk.jpg, Side view of the Observatory in 2007 after renovations File:Griffith Observatory P4060247.jpg, Griffith Observatory during dawn File:Los Angeles Pollution.jpg, Griffith Observatory and downtown LA skyline


Exhibits

The first exhibit visitors encountered in 1935 was the
Foucault pendulum The Foucault pendulum or Foucault's pendulum is a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault, conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. A long and heavy pendulum suspended from the high roof above a circular ...
, which was designed to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. The exhibits also included a 12-inch (305mm)
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
refracting telescope A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope design was originally used in spyglasses an ...
in the east dome, a triple-beam
coelostat A solar telescope is a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun. Solar telescopes usually detect light with wavelengths in, or not far outside, the visible spectrum. Obsolete names for Sun telescopes include heliograph and photoheliograp ...
(solar telescope) in the west dome, and a thirty-eight foot relief model of the moon's north polar region. Griffith requested that the observatory include a display on evolution which was accomplished with the Cosmochron exhibit which included a narration from
Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...
Professor Chester Stock and an accompanying slide show. The evolution exhibit existed from 1937 to the mid-1960s. Also included in the original design was a planetarium under the large central dome. The first shows covered topics including the Moon, worlds of the
Solar System The Solar System Capitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar ...
, and eclipses. The planetarium theater was renovated in 1964 and a Mark IV Zeiss projector was installed. The Café at the End of the Universe, an homage to Restaurant at the End of the Universe, is one of the many cafés run by celebrity chef
Wolfgang Puck Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian-American chef and restaurateur. Early life and career Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname ...
. One wall inside the building is covered with the largest astronomically accurate image ever constructed ( long by high), called "The Big Picture", depicting the
Virgo Cluster The Virgo Cluster is a large cluster of galaxies whose center is 53.8 ± 0.3 Mly (16.5 ± 0.1 Mpc) away in the constellation Virgo. Comprising approximately 1,300 (and possibly up to 2,000) member galaxies, the cluster forms the heart of the la ...
of galaxies; visitors can explore the highly detailed image from within arm's reach or through telescopes away. In 2006 the 1964-vintage Zeiss Mark IV star projector was replaced with a Zeiss Mark IX Universarium. The former planetarium projector is part of the underground exhibit on ways in which humanity has visualized the skies. Centered in the Universe features a high-resolution immersive video projected by an innovative laser system developed by
Evans and Sutherland Evans & Sutherland is a pioneering American computer firm in the computer graphics field. Its current products are used in digital projection environments like planetariums. Its simulation business, which it sold to Rockwell Collins, sold products ...
Corporation, along with a short night sky simulation projected by the Zeiss Universarium. A team of animators worked more than two years to create the 30-minute program. Actors, holding a glowing orb, perform the presentation, under the direction of Chris Shelton. Tickets for the show are purchased separately at the box office within the observatory. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under 5 are free, but are admitted to only the first planetarium show of the day. Only members of the observatory's support group, Friends Of The Observatory, may reserve tickets for the planetarium show. The observatory is split up into six sections: The Wilder Hall of the Eye, the Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, the W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda, the Cosmic Connection, the Gunther Depths of Space Hall, and the Edge of Space Mezzanine. The Wilder Hall of the Eye, located in the east wing of the main level focuses on astronomical tools like telescopes and how they evolved over time so people can see further into space. Interactive features there include a Tesla coil and a "Camera Obscura", which uses mirrors and lenses to focus light onto a flat surface. The Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, located in the west wing, focuses on objects that are normally found in the sky, like the Sun and Moon. The main centerpiece of this section is a large solar telescope projecting images of the Sun, using a series of mirrors called coelostats. Exhibits here include a periodic table of the elements, a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and several alcoves showing exhibits about topics like day and night, the paths of the Sun and stars, the seasons, the phases of the Moon, tides, and eclipses. The W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda features several Hugo Ballin murals on the ceiling and upper walls restored since 1934, a Foucault pendulum that demonstrates the Earth's rotation, and a small exhibit dedicated to Griffith J. Griffith, after whom the observatory is named. The Cosmic Connection is a 150 ft long hallway connecting the main building and the underground exhibition areas (see below) that depicts the history of the universe, and dramatizes the amount of time that has passed from the Big Bang to the present day using, hundreds of individual pieces of astronomy-related jewelry. The Gunther Depths of Space Hall is the lower level of the observatory, dominated by "The Big Picture," and scale models of the Solar System. The planets (including dwarf planet Pluto) are shown relative to the size of the Sun, which is represented by the diameter of the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. Below each planet are listed facts, as well as scales indicating a person's weight on planets having a solid surface (or weight at an altitude where
atmospheric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, ...
would equal one
bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar ( ...
otherwise). In addition, beneath the Earth's model, there is a small room containing a large model Earth globe, an older Zeiss planetarium projector, and a set of seismograph rolls, including one tracking room motion caused by occupants. The other rolls are attached to seismographs monitoring movement at the bedrock level, and indicate actual seismic activity. On the north wall of the Depths of Space is "The Big Picture", a by photograph (the largest astronomical image in the world) showing a portion of the
Virgo Cluster The Virgo Cluster is a large cluster of galaxies whose center is 53.8 ± 0.3 Mly (16.5 ± 0.1 Mpc) away in the constellation Virgo. Comprising approximately 1,300 (and possibly up to 2,000) member galaxies, the cluster forms the heart of the la ...
of galaxies at an angular scale of 0.1 degree per foot. This image was taken over the course of 11 nights by the 48-inch Samuel Oschin telescope at
Palomar Mountain Palomar Mountain ( ; es, Monte Palomar ) is a mountain ridge in the Peninsular Ranges in northern San Diego County. It is famous as the location of the Palomar Observatory and Hale Telescope, and known for the Palomar Mountain State Park. His ...
. There is also a bronze statue of
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theor ...
sitting on a bench in the Depths of Space. Einstein is holding his index finger about in front of his eyes, to illustrate the visual area of space that is captured in The Big Picture. The Edge of Space Mezzanine, which overlooks the Depths of Space Hall, focuses more on astronomy related topics that involve celestial bodies much closer to Earth, with exhibits including meteorite displays, an asteroid impact simulator, cloud and spark chambers, a large globe of the Moon, and telescopes that allow inspection of The Big Picture from a distance.


Tesla coil

On display at the Observatory is a large Tesla coil, named for its inventor,
Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla ( ; ,"Tesla"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
; 1856 – 7 January 1943 ...
. Dubbed "GPO-1", it is one of a pair which were built in 1910 by Earle Ovington. Ovington, who would go on to fame as an aviator, ran a company which built high voltage generators for medical
X-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10  nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...
and
electrotherapy Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment. In medicine, the term ''electrotherapy'' can apply to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological dis ...
devices. In public demonstrations of his generators, the spectacular displays drew crowds. Ovington designed the Observatory's coil to surpass a coil made by
Elihu Thomson Elihu Thomson (March 29, 1853 – March 13, 1937) was an English-born American engineer and inventor who was instrumental in the founding of major electrical companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Early life He was bor ...
in 1893 which generated a 64-inch spark. ( Tesla had secretly produced much larger sparks in 1899.) The project caught the attention of an
Edison Electric Illuminating Company The Edison Illuminating Company was established by Thomas Edison on December 17, 1880, to construct electrical generating stations, initially in New York City. The company was the prototype for other local illuminating companies that were establis ...
official, who offered $1,000 if the coil were displayed at an upcoming electrical show in
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...
, with the stipulation that the machine would produce sparks not less than ten feet long. The machine, dubbed the ''Million Volt Oscillator'' was installed in the band balcony overlooking the arena. At the top of each hour the lights in the main hall were shut off, and sparks would shoot from the copper ball atop the coil to a matching coil 122 inches away, or to a wand held by an assistant. The chief engineer of the
General Electric Company The General Electric Company (GEC) was a major British industrial conglomerate involved in consumer and defence electronics, communications, and engineering. The company was founded in 1886, was Britain's largest private employer with over 250 ...
estimated that the discharges were at least 1.3 million volts. Ovington, who died in 1936, gave the matching Tesla coils to his old electrotherapy colleague Frederick Finch Strong, who in 1937 donated them to Griffith Observatory. The Observatory had room to exhibit only one of the pair. By this time the machine was missing parts, so Observatory staffer Leon Hall restored it with the notable assistance of Hollywood special effects expert Kenneth Strickfaden who designed the special effects for ''
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
'' (1931) among many other movies.


''Astronomers Monument''

The ''Astronomers Monument'' is a large outdoor concrete sculpture on the front lawn of the Observatory that pays homage to six of the greatest astronomers of all time:
Hipparchus Hipparchus (; el, Ἵππαρχος, ''Hipparkhos'';  BC) was a Greek astronomer, geographer, and mathematician. He is considered the founder of trigonometry, but is most famous for his incidental discovery of the precession of the e ...
(about 150 BC);
Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulat ...
(1473–1543);
Galileo Galilei Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He ...
(1564–1642);
Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws ...
(1571–1630);
Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, Theology, theologian, and author (described in his time as a "natural philosophy, natural philosopher"), widely ...
(1642–1727); and
William Herschel Frederick William Herschel (; german: Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel; 15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) was a German-born British astronomer and composer. He frequently collaborated with his younger sister and fellow astronomer Caroline ...
(1738–1822). Soon after the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) began in December 1933, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Park Commission, PWAP commissioned a sculpture project on the grounds of the Griffith Observatory which was under construction. Using a design by local artist
Archibald Garner Lorraine Archibald “Archie” Garner (February 24, 1904 – May 7, 1969) was an American sculptor. During the New Deal he was commissioned by the Public Works of Art Project and Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture to create several not ...
and materials donated by the Women's' Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Garner and five other artists Roger Noble Burnham, Djey El Djey (1905-1980, real name Djey Owens), Gordon Newell (1905–1998), George Stanley (creator of the famous Oscar statuette presented at the
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
s), and Arnold Foerster (1878–1943) sculpted and cast the concrete monument and figures.Millier, Arthur. "Art Withstands Scrutiny of Hard-Boiled Politicians: Planetarium Obelisk, Park Fountain, Other, Massive Works Continue Under F.E.R.A." ''Los Angeles Times'', Jun 03, 1934, pp. 2''.'' Each artist was responsible for sculpting one astronomer: Stanley did Newton, Garner sculpted Copernicus, Newell was responsible for Kepler, etc. (The attributions for Hipparchus and Galileo are unclear; Burnham may have done the Hershel figure.) According to the ''Los Angeles Times'' art critic
Arthur Millier Arthur Millier (1893 – March 30, 1975) was a British-born American painter, etcher, printmaker, and art critic. He was the art critic for the '' Los Angeles Times'' from 1926 to 1958. His work is in the permanent collections of many museums in t ...
in 1934, the “original idea” was Foerster’s, and he was “responsible for the delicate engineering entailed in pouring a forty-foot concrete shaft.” The monument is topped with an
armillary sphere An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of ...
, originally concrete, replaced with a bronze piece 1991. On November 25, 1934, almost six months prior to the opening of the Observatory on May 14, 1935, a celebration took place to mark completion of the ''Astronomers Monument''. The only "signature" on the ''Astronomers Monument'' is "PWAP 1934" referring to the program which funded the project and the year it was completed.


Visiting

Admission to the building and grounds of Griffith Observatory is free of charge. Planetarium shows at the Observatory are offered eight times a day on weekdays and ten times a day on weekends. A nominal fee is charged for admission to the planetarium shows. As long as the weather permits, the Observatory offers free public telescope viewing every night the observatory is open - usually beginning at 7:00 p.m. This includes the historic 12” Zeiss Refracting Telescope on the roof, and up to four portable telescopes placed outside offering views of visible celestial objects for the night. At 9:30 p.m., the doors to the Zeiss dome close, and lines for the portable telescopes outside stop allowing guests into the queues - though the lines may close earlier on the busier nights. In poor weather, the roof may be closed to the public, but if still accessible under overcast skies, the Zeiss Telescope can still be visited as an exhibit during viewing hours. There is a small parking lot next to the Observatory, plus more spaces along Western Canyon Rd, which require payment of $8–10 an hour, depending on the season. During busier times, the roads can get congested and limit access to the top.http://www.griffithobservatory.org/visiting/directions.html#pay, department=Griffith Park Observatory, publisher=
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, access-date=4 April 2017
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) operates daily low cost DASH Observatory public bus service from the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station to the Observatory, including a stop at the nearby Greek Theater, which can be used as a free parking area when there are no concerts. The observatory is closed on Mondays. There are photo opportunities and scenery at and around the Observatory, with views of the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
, the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelli ...
and
Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is a ...
.


Filming location


Film

The observatory was featured in two major sequences of the
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, '' Rebel Without a Caus ...
film '' Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955), which helped to make it an international emblem of Los Angeles. A
bust Bust commonly refers to: * A woman's breasts * Bust (sculpture), of head and shoulders * An arrest Bust may also refer to: Places * Bust, Bas-Rhin, a city in France *Lashkargah, Afghanistan, known as Bust historically Media * ''Bust'' (magazin ...
of Dean was subsequently placed at the west side of the grounds. It has also appeared in a number of other movies, including: * ''
The Phantom Empire ''The Phantom Empire'' is a 1935 American Western serial film directed by Otto Brower and B. Reeves Eason and starring Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, and Betsy King Ross.Magers 2007, p. 21. This 12-chapter Mascot Pictures serial combined the ...
'' (1935) * '' Dick Tracy Returns'' (1938) * '' Phantom from Space'' (1953) * '' Tobor the Great'' (1954) * ''
Teen-Age Crime Wave ''Teen-Age Crime Wave'' (aka ''Teenage Crime Wave'') is a 1955 American juvenile delinquency film noir crime film directed by Fred F. Sears and starring Tommy Cook and Molly McCart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The plot concerns a pair ...
'' (1955) * ''
War of the Colossal Beast ''War of the Colossal Beast'' (a.k.a. ''Revenge of the Colossal Man'' and ''The Colossal Beast'') is a 1958 black-and-white science fiction film, written, produced, and directed by Bert I. Gordon for his Carmel Productions, and starring Dean Par ...
'' (1958) * ''
The Cosmic Man ''The Cosmic Man'' is a 1959 independently made black-and-white science fiction film, directed by Herbert S. Greene and produced by Robert A. Terry. The film stars John Carradine, Bruce Bennett and Angela Greene. The narrative concerns an extrat ...
'' (1959) * ''
The Spy with My Face ''The Spy with My Face'' is a 1965 spy-fi spy film based on ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' television series. Robert Vaughn and David McCallum reprised their roles as secret agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin respectively. THRUSH tries to steal ...
'' (1964) * ''The Split'', a 1968 heist film * ''
Flesh Gordon ''Flesh Gordon'' is a 1974 American sex comedy feature film serving as a spoof of Universal Pictures first (of three) ''Flash Gordon'' serial films from the 1930s. The film was produced by Walter R. Cichy, Bill Osco, and Howard Ziehm. It was ...
'' (1974) * '' Midnight Madness'' (1980) * ''
The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor ( Linda Hamilton), wh ...
'' (1984) * '' Back to the Future'' (1985) * '' Dragnet'' (1987) *The tunnel entrance to the Observatory on Mount Hollywood Drive is the entrance to Toontown in the movie ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated comedy film, comedy mystery film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall (filmmaker), Frank Marshall and Robert Watts, and loosely ad ...
'' (1988). * '' Earth Girls Are Easy'' (1988) * '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989) * '' The Rocketeer'' (1991) * ''
Devil in a Blue Dress ''Devil in a Blue Dress'' is a 1990 hardboiled mystery novel by Walter Mosley, his first published book. The text centers on the main character, Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, and his transformation from a day laborer into a detective. Plot S ...
'' (1995) * '' The Power Within'' (1995) * '' The People vs. Larry Flynt'' (1996) * '' The End of Violence'' (1997) * ''
Bowfinger ''Bowfinger'' is a 1999 American satirical buddy comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The film depicts a down-and-out filmmaker in Hollywood attempting to make a film on a small budget with a star who does not know that he is in the movie. It was ...
'' (1999) * '' House on Haunted Hill'' (1999
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the sam ...
) * ''
Queen of the Damned ''Queen of the Damned'' is a 2002 vampire film directed by Michael Rymer, loosely based on the third novel of Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988), although the film contains many plot elements from t ...
'' (2002) * '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' (2003) * ''
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, ...
'' (2007
live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...
film) * '' Yes Man'' (2008) * ''
Terminator Salvation ''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termi ...
'' (2009) * ''
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...
'' (2010) (In the opening scene of credits in the theater version a quick shot of the Observatory is shown) * '' Friends with Benefits'' (2011) * ''
Love and Mercy "Love and Mercy" is a song by American musician Brian Wilson and the opening track from his 1988 album ''Brian Wilson''. Co-produced by Russ Titelman, the song was released as a single on July 1, 1988, but failed to chart. Psychologist Eugene L ...
'' (2014) * '' McFarland, USA'' (2015) Final cross-country race winds past the Observatory * '' San Andreas'' (2015) (It is seen briefly in a shot of L.A.) * ''
Terminator Genisys ''Terminator Genisys'' is a 2015 American science fiction action film directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. Produced by Skydance Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures, the film is a reboot ...
'' (2015) * '' La La Land'' (2016) * '' Sandy Wexler'' (2017) * '' Under the Silver Lake'' (2018) * '' Hotel Artemis'' (2018) (It is seen briefly in the opening sequence of the movie in a news report. The observatory appears to be on fire) * '' Elvis'' (2022)


Television

The Observatory has appeared in episodes of the following TV shows: * '' 24'' ("Day 1 3:00–4:00 pm"; aired on March 19, 2002) * '' 90210'' (location shots of the Observatory many times) * '' Adele One Night Only'' (2021 CBS special; concert portion filmed at Observatory) * '' Adventures of Superman'' (first episode, as Jor-El's laboratory on Superman's home planet
Krypton Krypton (from grc, κρυπτός, translit=kryptos 'the hidden one') is a chemical element with the symbol Kr and atomic number 36. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas that occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere and is of ...
; some other episodes, as the Metropolis observatory) * ''
Alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the J ...
'' ("The Coup") * '' Agent Carter'' Season 2 episode 2: "A View in the Dark", January 2016 * ''
The Amazing Race ''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in fore ...
'' (Starting Line for the 22nd season) * ''
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...
'' (episode " Are You Now or Have You Ever Been," with Angel wearing a red jacket in homage to James Dean's ''Rebel Without a Cause'' character). * '' Angie Tribeca'' (Season 4 Episode 9 "Irrational Treasures") * '' Archer'' (features prominently in the 2017, season 8 episode "Archer Dreamland: Sleepers Wake") * ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ...
'' ("Rebel with a Cause") * ''
BoJack Horseman ''BoJack Horseman'' is an American adult animated black comedy-drama streaming television series created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. It stars the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. Set primarily in ...
'' (in animated form in "The Telescope", "
Later Later may refer to: * Future, the time after the present Television * ''Later'' (talk show), a 1988–2001 American talk show * '' Later... with Jools Holland'', a British music programme since 1992 * ''The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts'', or ...
", " That's Too Much, Man!”, “A Horse Walks into Rehab”, and is prominently featured in Season 6's opening credits) * ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name, also written by Whedon, although the events of the film are not consid ...
'' (episode "
Shadow A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two- dimensional silhouett ...
") * '' Brothers and Sisters'' ("The Road Ahead") * ''
Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
'' Season 4 episode 22: "Vengeance" March 1975 * '' CHiPs'' * ''
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'' ("Nanny Dearest") * ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...
'' (opening performance for season premiere of Season 23) * ''
Danny Phantom ''Danny Phantom'' is an American animated superhero action adventure television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. The series follows Danny Fenton, a teenage boy who, after an accident with an unpredictable portal between the h ...
'' (The Amity Park Observatory modeled on Griffith Observatory.) * '' Dragnet'' ("The LSD Story" aka "Blueboy" episode) * '' Episodes'' * ''
Goliath Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant defeated by the young David in single combat. The story signified King Sau ...
'' Season 2, episode 8 * '' Honey West'' ("The Abominable Snowman") * ''
Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
'', Part Three of the trilogy ''City Under Siege'' * '' In the Heat of the Night'' ("Just a Country Boy") * ''
Jonas Jonas may refer to: Geography * Jonas, Netherlands, Netherlands * Jonas, Pennsylvania, United States * Jonas Ridge, North Carolina, United States People with the name * Jonas (name), people with the given name or surname Jonas * Jonas, one of ...
'' (Date Expectations) * '' Keeping up with the Kardashians'' on E! shows shots of Griffith Observatory on a regular basis. * ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the The Late Late Show (American talk show), ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing ...
'' (appears at the beginning of the opening title sequence, 2009 to 2015) * '' Logan's Run'' (episode 10 "Futurepast" January 1978) * ''
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...
'' (ending of season 3 bonus episode "Once Upon a Time") * ''
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'' (pilot episode) * '' Macross Frontier'' (a future replica of the Griffith Observatory.) * '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' * ''
Melrose Place ''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, i ...
'' ("Till Death Do Us Part") * '' Millionaire Matchmaker'' (shown in random episodes) * '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966 TV series) (opening pilot episode, plus the location of two mission briefings in two subsequent episodes) * ''
The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
'' (footage incorporated into musical sequences) * ''
Moonlight Moonlight consists of mostly sunlight (with little earthlight) reflected from the parts of the Moon's surface where the Sun's light strikes. Illumination The intensity of moonlight varies greatly depending on the lunar phase, but even the ful ...
'' * ''
2010 MTV Video Music Awards The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 12, 2010 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Chelsea Handler hosted the event, the first woman in sixteen years – since the 1994 MT ...
''.
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drumm ...
performed their single "The Catalyst" at the Observatory * '' The New Adventures of Wonder Woman'' (Season 3 episode "Time Bomb" 1979) * '' Quantum Leap'' (" Goodbye Norma Jean") * ''Remington Steele'' * ''The_Rookie (TV_series), The Rookie'' (Season 4, Episode 6: Poetic Justice) * ''Rocky Jones, Space Ranger'' * ''She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'' (Season 1, Episode 1) (A picture of the observatory hangs in Jennifer Walter's office) * ''The Simpsons'' (duplicated as Springfield (The Simpsons), Springfield Observatory) * ''Star Trek: Voyager'' (two-part episode "Future's End") * ''Top Chef'' (site of opening challenge for the Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., 17th season) * ''The Wonder Years''


Other media

* The song "Observatory Crest" from Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band's album ''Bluejeans & Moonbeams'' is about two lovers spending a romantic evening at Griffith Observatory. Lead vocalist Don Van Vliet lived nearby and frequently visited it in his youth. * It was a filming location for the music video for "Rush Rush (Paula Abdul song), Rush Rush" by Paula Abdul which starred Keanu Reeves and was directed by Stefan Würnitzer. This video was based on '' Rebel Without a Cause''. * An image of the observatory is shown in a 2Pac music video, "To Live & Die in L.A. (song), To Live & Die in L.A.". The video pays homage to Los Angeles and its best known landmarks. * Some interview segments with rock musician Ringo Starr for the "Beatles Anthology" video were conducted on the observatory grounds during the mid-1990s. Starr and Neil Aspinall are shown viewing Los Angeles from the Observatory. * It appears in the video games ''Mafia II'', ''L.A. Noire'', ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', ''Grand Theft Auto V'', ''Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines'', ''Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3'', ''Wasteland 2'' and ''The Crew (video game), The Crew''. * On September 12, 2010,
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drumm ...
performed a brief set for a thousand fans onsite. "The Catalyst" from this performance was later shown by MTV for that night's 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards. * The photographs on the cover of Untitled (The Byrds album), The Byrds' album ''Untitled'' were taken on the staircase of Griffith Observatory. * In the comic ''Runaways (comics), Runaways'', the Runaways battle Geoffrey Wilder at Griffith Observatory, which is destroyed in the fight.''Runaways'' (vol. 2) 18, Marvel Comics * Cartoonist Bill Griffith is known for his satirical cartoon commentary on American culture and values. He drew and released a one-shot magazine format collection of "one-pager" treatments of odd bits of American cultural life, entitled "Griffith Observatory". It opens with a clever premise piece, in which he falls into the opportunity to rent the actual Griffith Observatory as a living space. The agent showing the property mentions the telescope in an offhand way as a "plus", and Bill realizes it would be a tremendous boon to his amateur anthropological pastime. * In 2019 a photo of the observatory was one of many splash screens for Windows 10.


Gallery

File:Griffith Observatory (24587742066).jpg, Griffith Observatory, August 2015 File:Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California.jpg, Griffith Observatory, April 2007 File:Griffith Observatory south elevation 2006.jpg, View from a trail in
Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the ...
from the south, looking north File:griffithparkobservatory.jpg, Los Angeles at night, taken from the roof. File:Griffith Observatory telescope dome.jpg, View of Downtown Los Angeles from the telescope. File:Griffith Observatory 2006 (architecture closeup).jpg, Architecture closeup, taken after the renovation. File:Griffith Observatory entrance lawn with Hollywood sign.jpg, View of the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelli ...
on a clear day. File:Griffith Park southeast side.jpg, View looking eastward, with south
Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the ...
and Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California, Eagle Rock File:Little Armenia Los Angeles view.jpg, View of the Los Angeles Basin looking south, with Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California, Little Armenia in the center. File:Foucault pendulum at Griffith Observatory.jpg, Foucault pendulum, Foucault Pendulum in the center of W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda. File:Griffith Observatory on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park (LC-DIG-highsm- 22255).tif, Observatory viewed from above File:Griffobserva.jpg, Griffith Observatory after renovations, June 2007. File:Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of the Hollywood sign from the north side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:View of the east side of Griffith Observatory.jpg, View from the east side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:Downtown Los Angeles from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of downtown Los Angeles from the south side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:View of Pacific Ocean from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica area from the west side of Griffith Observatory 2011. File:Mayan Exhibit with Krupp.jpg, Observatory Director
Ed Krupp Edwin Charles Krupp (born November 18, 1944) is an American astronomer, researcher, author, and popularizer of science. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of archaeoastronomy, the study of how ancient cultures viewed the sky ...
and the Mayan Calendar Exhibit File:Closest Neighbor in Space exhibit.jpg, The Closest Neighbor Exhibit File:Griffith Observatory - Dusk.jpg, Griffith Observatory at dusk File:Griffith Observatory by Gustavo Gerdel.jpg, Night view of the observatory dome with the City of Los Angeles in the background File:Los Angeles Nighttime Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of downtown Los Angeles at night File:Griffith Park SW01.jpg,
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, '' Rebel Without a Caus ...
statue File:Griffith Park SW02.jpg, Architectural detail of Main Entrance


See also

* Don Dixon (artist), Don Dixon – Observatory Art Director * Joy Picus, Los Angeles City Council member, 1977–1991, president of Friends of Griffith Observatory * Laura Danly – Observatory Curator * List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood, Los Angeles Historic–Cultural Monuments in Hollywood and Los Feliz * Fabra Observatory – Spanish observatory on a hill overlooking a metropolis


Explanatory notes


References


External links

*
Griffith Observatory Foundation

Collection of articles on the observatory
at the ''Los Angeles Times''
Live Lecturers sent into a Black Hole
by Danny King at Bloomberg News
Make Astronomers the Stars
Op/Ed by Margaret Wertheim in the ''Los Angeles Times''
Light Pollution in L.A. Area

Image of visitors at an exhibit in the newly opened Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, 1935
''Los Angeles Times'' Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles. {{Authority control Griffith Park, Observatory Art Deco architecture in California Astronomical observatories in California Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Museums in Los Angeles Planetaria in the United States Public Works of Art Project Science and technology in Greater Los Angeles Science museums in California Tourist attractions in Los Angeles Museums established in 1935 1935 establishments in California Los Feliz, Los Angeles