When America isn't hating on Los Angeles, they're coming here to soak up the culture. A higher percentage of visitors who come to Los Angeles end up going to museums compared to any other major U.S. city. more ›

Sunday May 20 is this year's first solar eclipse, and Angelenos will get the chance to see the celestial event--just don't look directly at it! more ›

Escape from your cube and find the nearest west-facing window this afternoon to catch a 4:40pm sunset on the shortest day of 2011. The winter solstice technically occurs tonight at 9:30pm PDT. If you can make it to the Griffith Observatory by sunset, you can join Griffith Observatory Director Doctor Edwin C. Krupp and L.A. City Councilmember Tom LaBonge as they observe the beginning of a seasonal shift from fall to winter with a special presentation. more ›

Has the absence of Mad Men and its regular mid-century goodness (though technically, it was 1964 in season four) been getting you down? Lucky for you, today's video lunch menu is going vintage. YouTube user Gerlock11’s treasure trove of vintage video footage gives a glimpse into the past with 1950s home movies of trips to Griffith Park & Observatory, Malibu (with sea lions!), Santa Monica's Ocean Park Pier, Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland, among other popular L.A. tourist spots. more ›

Thirteen years, five months and eleven days of LA-based thankfulness starts and ends with every exquisite friend I've been lucky enough to have. Also I am thankful for the following incredibles: more ›

Yesterday spring gave way to summer, and the transition is known as the Summer Solstice. LAist Featured Photos pool contributor and blogger Lydia Marcus captured its "local noon" moment with her camera at Griffith Observatory's Gottlieb Transit Corridor yesterday, then explained on her blog: "Sunlight hits the Transit Corridor at 12:55pm on June 21, 2010 marking high noon and this year's Summer Solstice - the day the sun is at it's highest position all year long, also making it the longest day of the year. " more ›

Although a very rare sight this far south from the North Pole, the Northern Lights can be a rather amazing sight to witness. Since there is very little chance that any of us would ever be able to see them here in the L.A. basin, the next best thing to do is to head over to Griffith Observatory's planetarium. The planetarium is currently featuring the program Light of the Valkyries, a show highlighting the beauty of the northern lights and set to Wagner's Ring Cycle. Various shows throughout the day, starting at 12:45 PM, with the last show starting at 8:45 PM. Through September 5th. more ›

This past Friday marked the 75th Anniversary of the majestic Griffith Observatory, a structure, vista, and scientific facility that has been an undeniable treasure to locals and visitors to Los Angeles alike. The Observatory marked the occasion with several celebrations, and they give a brief overview of the history of the building on their website:

On May 14, 1935, Los Angeles civic, scientific, and cultural leaders gathered on the side of Mt. Hollywood to celebrate the opening of Griffith Observatory. Only the third planetarium in the U.S. - and the first along the Pacific Rim - the Observatory was the vision of Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, who believed in the transforming power of astronomical observation and cosmic inspiration. more ›

Forget the gap-toothed grins and the wide-eyed haunted faces; what says Los Angeles on Halloween more than Los Angeles itself on a Jack O'Lantern? LAist readers and Featured Photos pool contributors Sadie and Allison Crabtree set the city on fire...on the faces of their pumpkins. The iconic Hollywood sign gleams while the Griffith Observatory sits majestically on their pumpkin-y perches. Of course, we don't ever want to see those hills burn quite so close to those landmarks--but on a day that's about illusion, trickery, and the darker side, well, why not?
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A few weeks ago, the Bird Sanctuary Trail finally opened back up after the 2007 Griffith Park fire left it unusable to the public. It's a relatively short hike, but one that offers great views and connects to a wider system of trails. more ›

It all started with the ostriches. Well, not really, but don't you think it should have? In fact, Griffith Park started with a curse. When the original owner of Griffith Park, Don Antonio Feliz died of small pox in 1863, he left his extensive land holdings to Don Antonio Coronel. Subsequently, his blind, destitute 17 year old niece, Dona Petronilla, cursed the land -- great misfortune would come to whoever owned it. more ›

If you're into planet watching, the next time this will happen is on Nov. 18, 2052. So best to take advantage this weekend: more ›

It's not every morning that we have clear skies. And depending where you live, today might not be so different. But it's Friday. Relax. Take a deep breath and enjoy these wonderful sunrise photos from the past, some of them from our LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr. more ›

In addition to providing you with an excellent cardio and lower-body workout, the Hollywoodland Staircases Walk also has amazing views of the city, the landscape, and two major landmarks (the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory). Throw some local history (concrete staircases joining hilly residential streets installed in 1923 as part of the Hollywoodland real estate development) and a wide variety of architecture and you have more for your eyes to drink in than you bargained for in just a one-hour, 2 mile walk through the charming Beachwood Canyon neighborhood. more ›

As of right now, the weather forecast for the weekend is looking pretty good with temperatures in the high 60s and partly cloudly skies. And to boot, it's a three-day weekend for lucky bunch of local government workers -- Caesar Chavez Day is on Monday. Last week, an effort to make the holiday national launched. You too could get the day off in respect for the local civil rights leader. more ›

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Kim Sunee presents Trail of Crumbs 7pm @ Vroman's more ›

Haven't you always wanted to grow your favorite fruit in your own backyard? more ›

Could you imagine Los Angeles without the Getty Museum? If that serene white chunk of Italian marble nestled above the 405 suddenly removed its bulk to some other parts, would you notice? Would you care? more ›

This week, Fodor's online published a little Q & A with editor Jennifer Paull who recently spent a long weekend in our dear city. She wanted to catch up on all that's been recently new to her as a frequent(ish) tourist. Among that was the Griffith Observatory, The Getty Villa, restaurants Osteria Mozza and Röckenwagner Café in Venice and Moss, the high-design housewares store on Melrose. What caught our attention the most, though, was her... more ›

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Best line of the day: "If L.A. Unified can't figure out the math on employee paychecks, can it be trusted to teach more than 700,000 students?" It's been 231 days since the whole fiasco began at the LAUSD. Teachers aren't being paid while dead people are being issues paychecks. Autumn officially begins on Sundaysays the Griffith Observatory's Sky Report, which also states Mercury, Jupiter, Mars and Venus can all be seen in the sky... more ›

In early September, 104 years ago, in a hotel in Santa Monica, the immigrant mining millionaire, Colonel Griffith Jenkins Griffith, aimed a pistol at his wife during a fit of rage and shot her in the head. Because she survived, and thanks to his political connections, Griffith only did three years in San Quentin. more ›

In order to cover the costs of their $600-million-plus priest abuse settlement, the Los Angeles Archdiocese is selling off its Santa Barbara convent, leaving the nuns with no place left to go. Aw, how cute, the 818 thinks it's just like the 310! The San Fernando Valley may be getting a 747 area code overlay in the very near future. Are we seeing a theme here yet? A thirteen-year-old boy was killed by an... more ›

About the above photo: Painting by local artist John Schlue who will be showcasing his newest work at Truxtop Gallery with the opening reception on Friday Sept 7th. The International Space Station, Jupiter, Mars, Venus all viewable from LA this week according to today's release of the The Griffith Observatory Sky Report. 274 homicides so far this 2007. LAPD released the latest crime statistics today showing that violent and property crime is down compared... more ›

Quiz Question: So it is four in the morning, September 1st, the bars have long since stopped serving alcohol for the night, and you've had too many of those in-lieu-of-booze Red Bulls, and you are wide awake. What should you do next? Should you...? a) go home and watch television until you pass out on the sofa b) go to the after-party of your friend's friend c) stumble around the streets of West Hollywood for... more ›

1. Go running on Los Feliz Blvd in the evenings, to get the anger out. (It's well-lit, fairly level, and a little exhilarating with all the cars rushing by. Just mind the sprinklers at 8.) 2. Hang out in Studio City or Burbank, etc. There's something oddly cheerful and reliable about that area. 3. Make frequent, unapologetic Pinkberry and gelato trips. 4. Go to the Griffith Observatory and see the Planetarium. That is some uplifting... more ›

Around 4pm today a one-acre fire broke out within sight of the Griffith Park Observatory. ABC has been running indepth coverage, although there is very little news online and no photos available at this time. Hikers have been evacuated. If anyone knows anyone who may be hiking in the park, they are being asked to contact them on cell phones. Visitors to the Observatory were evacuated from the building and were being kept in the parking lot at the time that ABC switched back to its normal programming around 5:15 pm. It appears the observatory area has been evacuated now at 6 pm and the fire is almost contained. Two to five acres between the Observatory and the Hollywood sign have burned. I can smell the smoke as I type this post. more ›

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"Naked" (IFC, 7:45 p.m.) David Thewlis stars as a bitterly comedic rapist in Mike Leigh's vicious flick "Visiting... With Huell Howser" (KCET, 8:00 p.m.) Whoah! Huell delivers a "Griffith Observatory Special! - h/t LA Observed "Survivor: Cook Islands" (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) Someone passes out at the Reward Challenge and it gets stormy on Exile Island "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" (NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.) New episodes tonight! "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 8:00 p.m.) The... more ›