Griffith Observatory
MEMORIES:
Hollywood Crush remembers...I would come up here with my friends to watch a show of the 'stars'. I remember seeing Venus one ... More »
Posted on 08/03/07
Perched high above the glitter and glamour of Hollywood, resides a place where you can view the stars up close – not movie stars, but real stars of a celestial nature. For over 75 years, Griffith Observatory has educated and entertained the masses through science and technology and all for free to the public.
There are multiple reasons that have drawn millions of people to the Griffith Observatory over the years. For one thing, it offers one of the most pristine and majestic views of the Los Angeles area: from Pasadena to the Pacific Ocean on a clear day. For film buffs, it is where Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean, was filmed; a bust of the actor marks the spot where the memorable knife fight in the film occurred. Schwarzenegger fans will recognize it from The Terminator. And for the psychedelically enhanced lovers of rock and roll, the laserium show, which features laser light synchronized to the music of artists such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, has drawn enormous crowds ever since it was first offered in 1973 (the first commercial use of lasers anywhere.)
While all of these reasons have kept Griffith Observatory popular over the years, it is first and foremost a place to share astronomy with the general public. So were the wishes of a wealthy, dubious man named Col. Griffith J. Griffith, who donated all of Griffith Park, including funding to build the great observatory, a beautifully ornate building housing one of the first planetariums in the world. Included within the structure are a number of scientific exhibits including the massive Foucault pendulum, designed to demonstrate the rotation of the earth, as well as a 12” Zeiss telescope and solar telescope to view the heavens from our humble blue marble. Opened to the public on May 14, 1935, the observatory immediately drew enormous and continuous crowds.
By the late 90s, the building was beginning to show its age and plans were set forth for a complete renovation. The grounds closed from 2002 until the grand reopening in November of 2006, with 93 million dollars spent on restoring it to its original grandeur. Sadly, the reopening is a tad bittersweet. For one thing, the laserium was removed and there are no plans for its return, much to the disappointment of legions of fans anxious to trip on the light fantastic. Secondly, for the time being, at least, you can no longer visit the observatory on a whim: reservations are now required. You also cannot drive to and park at the observatory, but must take a shuttle bus to the location. Supposedly, this is only to handle to temporary surge of crowds but it just isn’t the same as taking a little trek up Mt. Hollywood and parking with your loved one to enjoy a gorgeous orange sunset that only the smog-infested air of Los Angeles can provide.
But one thing remains the same. Griffith Observatory is, as it always has been, free to the star-struck public, thanks to the insistence of Col. Griffith. And at that price, for the opportunity to explore astronomy up close and see Los Angeles from possibly the greatest vantage point available, it is one of the best bargains in the galaxy.
