Griffith Park

Welcome to Griffith Park, an immense and sprawling wilderness anchored right in the heart of the second largest city in the United States. Covering more than four thousand five hundred acres of rugged chaparral, manicured lawns,…

Before the grand civic visions of the twentieth century, this land held a deep, multi layered history that stretches back thousands of years. Long before European explorers arrived, this territory was home to the Gabrielino…

As the bright, mechanical melodies of the carousel drift through the surrounding oak trees, we enter a sector of the park characterized by joy, nostalgia, and unexpected political tension. The Griffith Park Merry Go Round has…

Leaving the manicured lawns behind, we transition into the rugged, vertical world of the Santa Monica Mountains. Griffith Park is defined by its dramatic topography, and hiking these steep, sun baked trails is an essential rite…

Emerging from the wilderness trails, we arrive at the architectural masterpiece that crowns the southern slope of Mount Hollywood: the Griffith Observatory. Opened to the public on May fourteenth, nineteen thirty five, this…

Stepping through the heavy, meticulously restored bronze and leather front doors, we enter the original nineteen thirty five main lobby. This historic rotunda is a sensory marvel, defined by the rhythmic, sweeping motion of its…

Moving into the eastern wing of the historic building, we enter the Wilder Hall of the Eye. This gallery is entirely dedicated to the long, fascinating history of how human beings have observed the sky. …

Descending a grand staircase from the historic main floor, we step into a massive, cavernous subterranean expansion. Prior to the recent renovation, the space we are now standing in was nothing but solid bedrock and hillside dirt. …

Ascending from the depths, we arrive at a mezzanine level appropriately titled The Edge of Space. While the majority of astronomy relies on remote observation, gathering light from unimaginable distances, this specific gallery…

As our journey through Griffith Park concludes on the high terraces of Mount Hollywood, it is worth pausing to reflect on the staggering scale of what we have explored. We began our walk on the ancient, dusty soil once inhabited…