GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY

The observatory that has stood atop Griffith Park since 1935 offers a surprising blend of Art Deco architecture and cutting-edge technology. This monument owes its origins to industrialist and philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith, who imposed one condition when he offered this land to Los Angeles in 1896: that the institution he planned to build should be accessible to the public free of charge. A symbolic place, immortalized on numerous occasions in the cinema, notably in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) with James Dean - whose bust stands near the entrance - and La La Land (2016), during a mythical dance scene between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

Throughout the year, tourists flock here to watch the absolutely remarkable sunset over the Hollywood Sign on one side, Downtown on the other. But that's not all: the observatory has much more to offer. Greeted by an infinitely swinging Foucault pendulum, visitors are immediately propelled into the intergalactic universe by the planetarium and well-thought-out exhibits. We recommend arriving at least 2 hours before sunset, to take the time to explore all the exhibits.

Please note that each 35-minute planetarium projection must be booked on site, at a specific time slot: for example, you'll need to line up at 3:30 p.m. to buy your ticket for the 4:15, 5:15 or 6:15 p.m. session. Carefully selected shows are frequently renewed; consult the online program.