Tickets for the planetarium shows cannot be purchased online or in advance. They must be purchased…read moreabout 30-45 mins before each show starts. Usually the lines are long if you try to purchase the tickets near the front entrance. But there are a few kiosks and other box offices available inside the observatory. Kiosks are the easiest way to purchase the tickets and avoid the frustratingly long lines. It is advised to go inside the planetarium at least 20 mins before the show starts. For some shows, the entrance to the planetarium is from the West terrace. On a cold night, it can get very chilly and the lines and wait times could be long. So, make sure to wear warm clothing. Coming to the planetarium shows, I viewed the 'Signs of life' and 'Centered in the universe'. Both of them are well made, perfectly timed and very informative. I enjoyed them thoroughly.

first of all, the ticket line was way too long, I had o wait under the sun forever just to buy them…read moreand honestly that already killed my vibe. On top of that, parking was $10 per hour -- I mean, come on, that's crazy. I was already a little in a bad mood, so maybe that didn't help, but still they should really fix how they do the ticket distribution. It felt super disorganized. Now, the good part, the dome is beautiful, the projections look amazing, and the whole vibe inside is actually pretty cool. But I just couldn't fully enjoy it with all the stress before the show.

The Griffith Observatory is unique hybrid of public observatory, planetarium, and exhibition space…read more Visitors may look through telescopes, explore exhibits, see live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, and enjoy spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. It is free to visit but you may have to pay for parking or walk up the hill for free parking. It does get very busy. It's near the Greek Theatre so traffic may be heavier when there's a show. They have the Stellar Emporium bookstore and gift shop and The Café at the End of the Universe and seating area. We went there to see the nearly total 96% partial "blood moon" lunar eclipse.

My sister invited my family and I to join them during summer vacation on our way to SD. We arrived…read moreabout an hour before they opened noticed how many people were already there parked on the side of the roads. We took a chance and made it all the way to the top of their parking lot the nearest to the Observatory and parking was $20/hour, thankfully there were still plenty of parking when we got there. Side street parking was about $15/hour and longer walking distance. Entrance is free, beautiful views also a clear view of the Hollywood sign. It was Friday and they were busy. There's so much to see and it's educational. We only stayed an hour wishing we stayed alittle longer to take a better look at the lower level floor. They have so many exhibits, shows and programs. The time we went it was a hot day. Would love to return and visit during the cooler weather and perhaps even in the night so we could look through the telescopes to see some stars. Highly recommend if you've never gone.

For those who may not know, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, is free from 3 to 5 p.m…read more maybe only on weekdays but maybe weekends too. I am not sure, but most of the information is right, if one is compelled they can fact-broaden my statement. I went to take advantage of this offer but it was June 19th and in honor of the holiday everyone got in for free on this day. But apparently it was a last minute decision. So poor reporting seems to be more like offering information as it comes, not in a malicious way, or incompetent way, more in like the town crier gives what he knows in excitement and it is the responsibility of hearers to know what to do with the information, including vetting it responsibly or accepting it as a gift when given by surprise, even though it could have come in handy earlier. So I entered and I made a beeline to the Butterfly Pavillion. I think it was 12 dollars and worth every single cent. And I write that as a full-blown understatement because exaggeration did not seem the way to go. Like saying this place was worth more than 12 dollars, it was worth the weight of a camel's back in gold. The experience was beautiful. And that statement can be easily understood. I mean butterfly garden + momentary visit= beautiful. But more than that it was a type of beautiful that I had not experience before. It was a new facet of nature's beauty that I experienced. Mostly because I had never interacted with butterflies in this way. For instance, there was a butterfly with wings that were a strong bold blue, almost neon, and for sure, vibrant. Like a royal blue not because it was that shade but because amongst blues it would have palatial lineage in its shade. We were warned that butterflies might be on the ground. And on two experiences two were. The first I encountered was not flying. And the younger members of the experience made sure to announce the butterflies presence and its vulnerability. I feel like sometime in this place's history a butterfly did get stepped on. And for no other reason, than the natural happens. In the second occasion, a butterfly was trying to fly or stand still and could not because the winds made it topple. During that moment a butterfly apparently landed on my back. Man people, if not all, wonder if a butterfly will land on them? And what it would mean? I mean, it could be good news. Saying that a butterfly landing on a person is an omen of disaster does quite fit the visual of the insect and what horror brings. A butterfly did land on my wrist and of course one can't help but feel special. Like, the butterfly chose me and its trying to communicate something. Something important that the universe wants me to hear. What exactly that is? I am not sure. I need to reflect on that later or I will know when the butterfly effects comes clearer in time.

I've been to many many museums before.. this one by far the hottest museum I've ever been. It's…read moreseriously so hot in there. Was visiting around 1pm on Sunday 30th. Parking was insanely busy because of other events. Going to the museum to escape the heat instead we entered a huge crowded sauna room. Isn't a temperature control is a must for museum? There were 2 rooms that are cooler and people just parked themselves in that room to cool themselves and hindering other people to views the artifacts or mineral rocks. Not cool. 1 hour after. I decided to leave. Gosh. Cant enjoy anything yesterday.

Wonderful! And it's FREE! Honestly, there is so much to do here that I don't understand how they…read moremanage to offer all of this without an admission fee. There are tons of interactive exhibits, so this isn't one of those museums where you just walk around reading plaques. You can actually touch things, experiment, play, and learn as you go. Even before you enter, there's an outdoor truck you can lift using a rope and a top-down handle that lets you test torque and mechanical advantage. It's such a simple way to demonstrate the physics behind lifting something that heavy, and obviously I had to try it. One of my favorite parts was the sea life area. They have an interactive exhibit where you can actually touch some of the animals, and there was a surprising diversity of species. I also loved that they have waves running through the habitats. You can tell they put real thought into the animals' wellbeing too. There are signs reminding visitors to let the animals rest, which I really appreciated. There's also a really interesting section about California's different environments and ecosystems, plus a whole wildfire section on the top floor. Lots of focus on biodiversity, with smaller interactive tables throughout where you can learn by actually doing things. The staff were incredibly kind and friendly too, which made the whole experience even better. The location is beautiful. The bottom floor has a cafeteria where you can eat your packed lunch, and you're right next to the Rose Garden. There's also a parking lot nearby, so it's pretty convenient. Honestly, this is such a fun museum whether you're bringing kids or you're just a giant child like me who wants to test the physics of lifting a truck. FREE, interactive, educational, beautiful, and genuinely fun. Absolutely a must-see in LA.

This place has changed so much the last time I came more than a decade ago!…read more I wanted to bring my son to experience the wonders of science and since o only had to pay for parking, that's not a bad deal. However, I forgot it's next to a stadium so there's cars going into the parking lots and it's confusing when you see a $60 parking sign but luckily museum parking is not the same. The place definitely changed, it seems so much darker, simplistic, and less colorful than I remembered. We didn't purchase any of the specific exhibits so we only went to the free pertinent exhibits which we went through within an hour! I had to slow my son down and because it's so crowded he didn't want to wait in line to look or try anything. I was able to get him to watch some videos playing around the life cycle exhibit, and then he got hungry so we went to the first floor food court. I know it says no food or drinks in the exhibits but I saw a lot of people snacking and drinking in the area, I don't think staff realized because it was so crowded. At the food court, they had a variety of stalls and we went straight to the burgers and pizza, we ordered a pizza and chili fries which my son ate mostly pizza and the snacks i brought. Thy also had a mini market convenience stall which sold snacks as well and a cafe which had ice cream and coffee. I think this place is decent, I can see some of the old things left behind like condiments station and furniture set to the side, so I think they are always revamping the pla

We spent 2 hours here, but could have spent so much more time if we didn't have a deadline. We went…read moreon the free day (first Friday of the month), but with that free ticket you only get 2 to 3 hours in the afternoon before the place closes, so it's a great taster to make you want to come again! Our kids ages 2 to 7 all had a great time! There was so much to do, from walking through the river and doing water play, to sand play in the pretend lake, to crafts (that we didn't have time for), to climbing equipment, and building/engineering/physics activities. Plenty of things to do both indoor and outdoor. The physics section is great for older kids too, even middle school (but the rest of the museum is definitely geared to elementary).

Free Parking, confusing at first as it's a shared lot for the park. There was a line upon arrival…read moreso you can actually buy tickets online and bypass the other line. The museum is both indoors and outdoors. There's several activities that are geared towards older kids such as sitting on seat and self-pull to go up. Or a tug a war type thing. The other outdoor activities are for all ages, they have areas where you can bang on stuff to hear the sounds. There's an indoor which I feel the younger ones loves such as the train table or the parachute. Overall there's activities for all ages. There was even a spot if someone wants to read and do storytime. Fun overall. It can get pricey. I'm not big on places charging adults as it truly is more for the kids.

It's sad that this planetarium was closed for renovations and then Covid happened and ever since…read more2020 they never re-opened. When you go to their website it says "temporarily closed" however being closed for going on 6 years does not seem like it's temporary - which is unfortunate!

Found this on Yelp and so happy to have gone tonight! I've gone to the planetarium at Mt. SAC, but…read moreit's really far to me now in Long Beach. This is close and convenient to the 22. The show we went to tonight was really cool and interesting. Patricia Sullivan hosted and she was fun, welcoming and made things easy to understand. Loved seeing the constellations projected onto the planetarium dome and then there was an awesome presentation about the solar system afterward. I'll definitely be back! I only gave four stars because I was hoping/looking forward to a Night Sky Live that was included in the program notes, but it didn't happen. I would also love to look through telescopes, so not sure if that's a different program altogether.

Visiting Mt. Wilson Observatory is a great opportunity to learn about astronomical history, as well…read moreas the history of scientific endeavors in the Los Angeles area. Einstein was here, after all! The location itself is stunning, offering great views of the L.A. area. And the observatories, preserved by the valiant efforts of firefighters after too many wildfires to count, are something to see. We, unfortunately, sprung for the allegedly 2-hour tour at $20/person. The funds support the observatory, so no problem there. However, our docent was extremely long-winded and had no sense of time management whatsover, even on one of the hottest days of the year. After we were almost 3 hours into a supposedly 2 hour tour, we decided to leave early due to exhaustion and boredom. (We were starting to feel like we were on a cruise to Gilligan's Island......)To be honest, there was not much that we saw or learned on the tour that couldn't be seen just walking around and looking up information online. So, my recommendation is: donate money to the Observatory by all means but skip the docent tour unless astronomy is your biggest passion in life. Also, remember you'll need an Adventure Pass to park in the Observatory parking lot near the trailheads. Definitely worth a visit!

This is a must visit for all Angelenos and tourists and anyone interested in matters earthly and…read moreuniversal. We did the 2+ hour docent tour, worth every penny. Everyone here is a volunteer (docents, scientists, and all) so they rely on donations and purchases of merch and all the really special events they plan. You need to get a $5 daily pass to park in the lot since it's a national forest. Easy to get at the Cosmic Cafe upon arrival. Sign up online for their newsletter so you can be in the know of some very cool happenings at the observatory.

I highly recommend their live night telescope viewing…read more Jim, their resident Astronomer is the best. He knows more about astronomy, interplanetary science, and the solar system than it should be legal to know. Plus he is a nice guy who is willing to share his knowledge. Jim also used to build propulsion rockets for the Space Shuttle flights. I learned so much from his 2 hour seminar and hands on viewing. I may even go out and buy a telescope now he got me so excited. Parking was easy and free at the meters on Pico after 6 PM. The Planetarium is on the 2nd Floor of the John Drescher building. After the class where he points out what you are going to see, everyone walks outside together to the viewing area where his associates set up multiple telescopes. Wear walking shoes, dress warm, eyeglasses or no-glasses are fine for viewing, bring cash only for the event, and have a coffee before coming. Because when you sit in those comfortable theater seats, recline back to see the dome, and he turns off all the lights...I don't know about you...

This is a small, low-key planetarium show led by a passionate, knowledgeable, engaging, and funny…read moreamateur astronomer, Jim. Jim's enthusiasm for space exploration and astronomy is infectious and you leave the planetarium show with a renewed sense of wonder at all the mysteries right above us. Street parking is really easy to find the night of the show and sometimes volunteers bring their own telescopes for night sky viewing. I've seen some really incredible things at the night sky viewings: sunlight slowly filling the craters on the moon, the rings of saturn, a double star-system, and the "star nursery" in the Orion Nebula. Whenever I leave the show, I feel like I was in on some special secret. Oh, and if you can't tell by the address, this is at Santa Monica College

Wow, this place was incredible. I'd been wanting to visit this particular museum for years and it…read morewas so worth the wait! There's a parking garage and staff to help you find a spot and direct you up to the museum. Once you get upstairs there's a nice courtyard with trees, some food vendors and the museum is right there. We walked in and the museum staff was right there at the front answering questions and directing you on where to go. I love that admission is free! We had booked our tickets in advance though, to be safe. We had a 12pm slot for the Infinity mirror room and had a little time before it started so we went up to the main level to check out some art really quick. We went back down to stand in line and it moved fairly quickly. You only get 60 seconds in the Infinity mirror room, and there signs and staff letting you know so you can prepare yourself while in line. This exhibit was really cool, I wish we could have gotten more time in there but I'm glad they limit it so everyone can see it. You could spend a while in there, it's so beautiful. The rest of the museum was absolutely incredible. I'd never seen Basquiat in real life. I fell in love with his art. The other artists here were incredible too. I genuinely enjoyed exploring this exhibit and taking in all the art and sights. It was such a fun museum! Unique art, fun installations. I cannot wait to go back soon!

I visited The Broad again and saw that their permanent collection has remained mostly the same. It…read morewas a little crowded when I went on a Friday with mostly tourists browsing the paintings. The process for obtaining general admission was the same for me as I just had to reserve online. This museum is rather small despite its large exterior, so I'd recommend combining a visit here with The Museum of Contemporary Art across the street if you have time. Currently, there's an opportunity to engage in a wholesome activity outside because of Yoko Ono's "Wish Trees for Los Angeles" installation. You can't miss it because many people have tied their personal wishes on little white paper tags to the branches of the century-old olive trees outside The Broad. Most wishes were written in English, but I also saw some in Spanish, Korean, and Chinese. I'd highly recommend taking the time to read people's wishes and write one of your own. It helped me take time to focus on a few out of many things to feel grateful and hopeful for.

Absolutely loved this place. We came here for a homeschool field trip. There were two parts to the…read morefield trip. The viewing of the informational star session in the dome. The second part the kids and parents build mini rockets. Then they launched the rockets into the air and tried to catch them. The staff was so nice and helpful. They answered all of our questions and took their time with out groups. So much fun for the entire family.

We attended with our homeschool group and it was an amazing experience! Our host, Alex, was great…read morewith the kids! We built our rockets and then they got to launch it and try and catch it. Super fun and exciting for the kids. The planetarium show was great too. I've only ever seen the Griffith Observatory show and this was on par with that show without the drive or the high price. This is a lesser known gem and if your on the fence do not hesitate to check it out!