DIANA ALVAREZ
Staff Writer
The biggest stargazer in Hollywood is on its way to making a big impact on the world. With more than 70 million visitors since first opening in 1935, the Griffith Observatory has re-opened its doors in hopes of attracting an even wider audience.
After closing four years ago in 2002 for a $93 million renovation and expansion project, the Griffith Observatory re-opened to the public Friday, Nov. 3. Director Dr. Edwin C. Krupp shared with the audience at the re-dedication ceremony an interesting connection pointed out to him by a child — the renovation figure is the same as the number of miles between the earth and the sun.
Located approximately 35 miles from campus, the Griffith Observatory — also known as City of Los Angeles Cultural Landmark No. 168 — sits on top of Mount Griffith, one of the nation’s largest urban parks that happens to be home to the best view of the Hollywood sign. Over the years it has become an icon and a leader at educating the public in astronomy and gained fame with its most notable appearance in the film “Rebel Without a Cause,” starring James Dean and Natalie Wood.
As Krupp said during the re-dedication ceremony, the Observatory is the spot where you can see more stars than those on Hollywood Boulevard.
“It has stared in hundreds of major motion pictures,” he said. “In fact, that is enough to justify a star on Hollywood Boulevard.”
The expansion and renovation project was funded through a private-public partnership including the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks and the non-profit organization Friends of the Observatory. As visitors walk through the front doors they cannot help but notice the paintings surrounding the circular dome.
“You can see the same map that guided Columbus’ journey, you can see the same Gods who animated the skies of ancient Greece, you can see the terrain of the sacred ground of the Aztec Calendar, and you can see Galileo in his triumph over his inquisitors,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the ceremony. “Most of all you can behold the central idea that our greatest hope will always be in looking up and in making access to scientific knowledge a universal good.”
During the development of the project, four goals framed the blueprint for what was to become the new Observatory. All the pre-existing elements were restored to how the Observatory was originally intended to look when opened in 1935. Secondly, the Observatory needed a new state-of-the-art planetarium with a new dome, digital laser projector, seats, sound system, lighting and star projector in a remodeled auditorium for a new planetarium show. Next, more access space was needed if the Observatory was to fulfill its goal of attracting more visitors, and lastly, the development of new exhibits.
The project encompasses an addition of 40,000 square feet doubling what it used to be, in which 60 new exhibits are introduced as well as a multi-level exhibit gallery “Depths of Space.”
One of the biggest walk-through exhibits is “The Big Picture.” Located in the Gunther Depths of Space exhibit gallery, the exhibit was created by a Caltech Scientist and features the Virgo Constellation. On a bench is a statue of Albert Einstein with his index finger held above a foot away from his eyes. Einstein’s statue is there to make the point that “The Big Picture” covers as much of the universe as your index finger covers when you place it a foot away from your eyes.
As you walk through the Observatory, you can also experience the opening show at the new Samuel Oschin Planetarium, one of the finest in the world. The show, called “Centered in the Universe,” is a live presentation that, with the guidance of a knowledgeable lecturer, takes guests on a journey through the galaxy. The presentation is shown every hour.
“It was wonderful,” Cid Macaraeg, an employee of the Department of Recreation and Parks, said. “It’s a far cry from what it was before, and after watching it, it’s a humbling experience because it makes you feel so small compared to what you think you are.”
After a day of enjoying the exhibits and shows, you can also stop at the new café catered by Wolf Gang Puck or check out the Bookstore with hundreds of souvenirs to take home.
Due to high demand, the observatory can only be visited through a temporary “By Reservation Only” visitor access program that allows visitors to tour the observatory on a timed entry in order to avoid over crowding and long waits.
Admission is free but the shuttles available to take visitors up the hill to the Observatory cost $8 for adults. The Griffith Observatory is closed Mondays but is open noon to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information on visiting the Observatory, or to make a reservation, visit the Web site at www.GriffithObservatory.org.
11-16-2006