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In Celebration of 75 Celestial Years: Griffith Observatory
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. That day also marked the transfer of the completed building and grounds from Colonel Griffith's trust to the City of Los Angeles. In the last 75 years, Griffith Observatory has become the most visited public observatory in the world. Owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Observatory has welcomed more than 73 million visitors and is an icon of southern California.
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