Griffith Museum
By Sophia Pei ‘22
Just 12 miles north and 1,273ft up (in elevation) from USC is the Griffith Observatory. The museum, though small, hosts an extensive display of astronomy related exhibits. Free for all and an easy two Metro rides away, it’s a place every student should frequent at least once in their four years at USC.
Great hiking paths
Aside from the direct 1 mile hike up to the Griffith there are multiple other trials. It’s perfect hike on an overcast day or even a night hike, but try to avoid going at noon on the typical hot SoCal day. All the paths provide a beautiful view of LA County and the Hollywood sign.
Not a hiker? Shuttle there!
Griffith is an easy two bus rides away from USC. From UPC, take the 204 heading north until Vermont and Hollywood where the DASH to the observatory picks up. The entire trip takes about an hour and drops you off right at the observatory. No upward hike required!
Free Parking + Cardio
Looking for parking? Parking on the mountainside road by the Griffith costs $8 an hour so the smarter idea is to park either at the Greek Theater parking or Section 9 parking. Both the lower lots are free! Both require an approximate 1 mile hike up to the museum but also provide a breathtaking view along the way.
Great View and Free Viewing Stations
Griffith overlooks LA County allowing visitors to admire the cityscape. The view is even more stunning at night since the beautiful city lights are far enough away that you can still look up and admire the even more stunning stars. Check out the different viewing stations positioned around the courtyard. Don’t see anything? That one is likely broken (about half of them are…)
Beautiful Art
The displays are a bit elementary. It’s great for those seeking a brief overview of astronomy but doesn’t offer much beyond that. Nevertheless, the art on the ceiling of the atrium is stunning. Make sure you check out the pendulum right below as well!
The Samuel Oschin Theatre
Every hour there’s a show at the theatre on the ground floor. It’s a curved roof ceiling with a live narrator and is the museum’s key attraction. Currently the Griffith is showing “Centered in the Universe,” “Water is Life,” and “The Light of the Valkyries.” If you time it out well, you can catch all three in one visit. The dome screen definitely gives great viewing depths that may cause more sensitive viewers to get motion sickness. This was definitely my favorite part of the museum. Bonus tip: If you bring your student ID it’s only $5.
Fun Basement Level
On the basement level of the museum is another theatre (typical theatre style) that explains the history of the museum every hour, on the hour. While passing the time, you can find out how much you weigh on different planets, or take a picture with Einstein. This entire section is super kid-friendly and is perfect for a photo op
Special Events
If you think the Griffith is crowded on normal weekends, try going when they host a special events. Check out their site calendar to see when these viewing parties will occur.
Other
As with all tourist attractions, there’s a gift shop and a very mediocre, overpriced cafe on the basement level of the Griffith. Despite the cafe’s cool name (it’s called The Cafe at the End of the Universe), they fail to carry astronaut ice cream.
Want more from Trojans 360?
Visit Trojans 360 on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with more student content!
You can also Ask A Trojan an anonymous question, and we’ll try to answer it in a future post!
And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Trojans 360 is USC’s official student-run blog. Content created by students, for students.
