When I visited Los Angeles for the first time with my friends, the first walk we took was the Walk of Fame. After that, we decided to dedicate a day to try to take a photo close to the Hollywood sign. We had read online that the Griffith Observatory was one of the best places to get close to the sign, so off we went.
I think this was the biggest photographic disappointment of my life. Let me show you a photo of the Hollywood sign seen from the observatory.
After this visit and a lot of research I discovered that Griffith Park is one of the best places to see the Hollywood sign, but not from the Griffith Observatory. The idea is to take a trail of about 8km, and then get a good photo.
But let me tell you, at the same time that my friends and I were disappointed with the sign, we were surprised by the observatory. It's a super cool place, with several exhibitions and curiosities in general. Just don't do like me and my parents who went on a Monday, the only day it's not open.
For those who don't have a car and want to get to the observatory, on weekends there is a shuttle that costs $0.50. I recommend taking this shuttle, because the climb up there (it's in the highest part of the park) can be quite long depending on which entrance you use. One of the advantages of this tour now that the dollar is expensive is that entry is free.
Exhibitions
Among everything interesting there, my favorite part is the Gunther Depths of Space, which has a replica of the solar system. It's really cool because you can get a real sense of the size of the planets in relation to each other. You can see that the Earth is very small compared to Jupiter and Saturn, for example, and you can also see why Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
Another fun thing about this part, in addition to all the curiosities about our solar system and its surroundings, is that you can find out how much you weigh on each planet. Each of them has a little scale that you can step on and find out your weight. It is worth remembering that in the United States the measurement used is the pound, which is equivalent to 0,450kg. There’s no need to despair when the earth’s scales are higher than normal!
After that my favorite part was the giant periodic table with real examples. I think most people here spent at least three years of high school looking at this table, calculating electrons, etc. of the elements but without knowing exactly what they are. In this part, each exposed element has a small sample.
The periodic table is in the “Elements” section, Ahmanson Hall of the Sky. This part also has explanations about how the seasons work, the phases of the moon, tides, eclipses and a space dedicated to the Sun. In this section you can see photos and reports from NASA, showing particularities such as solar eruptions and even a real-time sun image.
As it could not be otherwise, the Griffith Observatory has a planetarium, called The Samuel Oschin Planetarium, which offers several shows. Currently being shown are “Centered in the Universe”, “Water Is Life” and “Light of the Valkyries”. On weekends the shows start at 10:45, while on other days they start at 12:45. Anyone interested needs to buy a ticket on the day, and prices vary between $3 and $7.
As I had other plans that day I ended up not staying in Griffith much and watching one of the shows. If anyone has seen one, please tell us how it went! I really want to watch it next time.
Anyone with a car can take advantage and, after passing by the observatory, go down to do some trails in the park. Just don't forget to take a look at the view of Los Angeles from the Griffith Observatory, because it's spectacular!
Griffith Observatory
2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Mon – Fri 12 am – 10 pm
Sat – Sun 10 am – 10 pm
www.griffithoobservatory.org