GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY

We have heard so much about the renovated Griffith Park Observatory we decided to check it out. When the newly renovated facility was opened you needed reservations to get in, so we waited a few months before going. Since we had family visiting from out of town we put it on the list of things to do. The planetarium show was especially intriguing since this week was a period in the winter solstice when the moon appears the largest and brightest. My last visit to the observatory was as a child and I remember how exiting and fun it was. One very distinct memory is of the rooftop telescope, the view of Saturn. Pretty cool. Unfortunately the telescope was not working. But there were many other things to look at.

We elected to go in the early evening just at dusk. Normally we would have made this a day trip because the planetarium only allows young children under five to the first show of the day. Later we found out that there were plenty of kids in the later shows. It wasn't quite dark when we got there but dark enough for the view of the city lights to be spectacular, definitely a plus of an evening visit. But boy was it crowded. Despite the crowd, we enjoyed every aspect of the exhibits, the facility and the grounds. I'm not a science buff but there is something about the exploration of the solar system that is fascinating. There is a guided tour available but our daughter is a little too young to be patient enough to listen and observe. There were many things for her to explore and discover on her own. And her imagination was in full gear. In a few years I can see that the guided tour is a great way to go.

The facility is full of interactive exhibits and eye catching photos and visuals. This was enough to keep our little one very busy running from one fascinating thing to the next. We had a blast exploring the entire place from the entry rotunda, with its Foucault Pendulum and Hugo Ballin Murals, to the moon exhibit with a real piece of the moon. The Depths of Space Exhibit was especially fun. The exhibit is a huge subterranean room full of astronomical images, accurately scaled models of planets and cool exhibits illustrating details of each planet.

We ended the evening by walking the many terraces on the various levels of the Observatory. At every turn we enjoyed a sparkling view of the city lights. As we made our way back to the car we all agreed that it would be worthwhile coming back. When we got up the next morning we did just that. This time we headed straight for the Planetarium Theatre to take in the show. We saw the Water is Life show and traveled from beneath the ocean to as far as Saturn and beyond. The images of the night sky were amazing and when they illustrated how bright the starry sky would be without the brightness of the city lights, it made us feel how much we miss the outdoors. We moved through our solar system with crystal clear visual images of outerspace engulfing us as though we were actually in a spaceship. All three of us were amazed. As we turned to travel back to earth we couldn't believe how beautiful our planet looked. It really gives you a perspective of how small we are in comparison to the vastness of the universe. As we travelled toward the earth to return to the Observatory our daughter yelled, "We're going to crash!" She quickly covered her eyes and before she new it the show was over and the lights came back on.

A Sunday morning visit to the Griffith Observatory is well worth it. It was quiet with only a fraction of the number of visitors of the night before. While the nighttime skyline is fantastic, the mid morning view from up there on a clear day is just as breath taking. We relaxed on the front lawn to enjoy our snacks we had brought from home and just enjoyed the environment. It truly is a beautiful place. A must see.

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