Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory, September 2006
Location within Los Angeles
Former names	Griffith
General information
Architectural style	Greco-Roman and Art Deco
Location	Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, United States
Coordinates	34°07′6″N 118°18′1.2″W / 34.11833°N 118.300333°W / 34.11833; -118.300333[1]
Elevation	1,135 ft (346 m)
Construction started	June 20, 1933 (1933-06-20)
Inaugurated	May 14, 1935 (1935-05-14)
Client	Griffith Trust
Design and construction
Architect(s)	John C. Austin Frederick M. Ashley
Website
GriffithObservatory.org
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument
Designated	November 17, 1976
Reference no.	168

Griffith Observatory is an observatory in Los Angeles, California, on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. It commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin including Downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with a close view of the Hollywood Sign 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.

Since its opening, over 9 million people have looked through the 12-inch (30.5 cm) Zeiss refracting scope, making it the most viewed telescope in the world.^[2] The space theme prevails in the interior.^[3]