GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY

The observatory that has stood at the top of Griffith Park since 1935 offers a surprising mix of Art Deco architecture and state-of-the-art technology. A monument that we owe to the industrialist and philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith, who had imposed a condition when he offered this land to Los Angeles in 1896: that the institution he planned to build be accessible to the public for free. A symbolic place, immortalized many times in movies, including in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) with James Dean - whose bust is near the entrance - and La La Land (2016), during a mythical dance scene between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

Throughout the year, tourists flock there to watch the absolutely remarkable sunset over the Hollywood Sign on one side, Downtown on the other. But that's not all: the observatory offers many other treasures. Welcomed by a Foucault pendulum that swings to infinity, visitors are immediately propelled into the intergalactic universe by the planetarium and the very well thought out exhibitions.

To get there, there are several options: drive to the paid parking lot in front of the entrance or park further down, in one of the free spaces on Vista del Valle Drive. In this case, you will have to take the steep Boyscout Trailhead - 1 km - which will take you to the observatory in about 20 minutes. We recommend that you arrive at least 2 hours before sunset, to allow time to browse the exhibits.