Aerial sunset view of Griffith Observatory during Private Griffith Observatory tour

People walking up stairs at Griffith Observatory

4 reviews

Private Guided Tour of Griffith Observatory

Your close-up with the real stars in LA

When

Flexible

Duration

3 hours

Meeting Point

Los Feliz (In front of the Astronomers Monument)

Private Guided Tour of Griffith Observatory

Highlights
Itinerary
Reviews
FAQs

Highlights

Get an insider’s look at this famous landmark on a private tour designed by former Griffith Observatory employees.

See the 500,000-volt Tesla Coil and understand how it works.

Explore 67,000 square feet of science exhibits with an expert guide who will show you highlights you don’t want to miss.

Glimpse outer space through telescopes by day or night.

Learn about modern architecture, science, movie trivia, LA history, and more.

Enjoy panoramic views of the LA Basin and the Hollywood Sign from the top of Griffith Park.

Watch a show on the high-tech Zeiss Mark IX Planetarium Projector.

Hear the history of the Griffith Observatory, a 20th-century legacy from philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith.

What you’ll do

Griffith Observatory, famously known as “the hood ornament of Los Angeles,” is one of the largest observatories in the world. Beyond its iconic status, it includes a planetarium and 67,000 square feet of exhibition space, with much about it still unknown even to many

Itinerary

Astronomers Monument

Honoring the world’s six most famous astronomers
Central Rotunda

With overhead murals inspired by Greek mythology
Tesla Coil

Nikola Tesla’s 50,000-volt invention
West Hall

Including glimpses of sunspots through telescopes (weather and schedule dependent)
Samuel Oschin Planetarium

An immersive theater featuring a high-tech star projector
Depths of Space

A view of the night sky as seen from the Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory
Albert Einstein Statue

Photo op with one of the greatest minds in history
Night sky viewing (weather and schedule dependent)

Using the state-of-the-art Zeiss 12-inch telescope

Reviews

Sure, you could go to Griffith Observatory without this experience, but I guarantee you will not enjoy it or even know what all it offers without taking this tour. For example, it is well worth your time to attend the orientation film, but 99% of the people there failed to do this. I would have skipped it if I came on my own, but thanks to this tour, I went. It was very informative, and was narrated by Leonard Nimoy acting as a regular guy. Afterward I came out and it gave me an entirely different perspective on the place. Can't wait to go back and visit the observatory again. Beautiful venue, great tour.

— Hugh

Private Tour Griffith Observatory — great tour and guide, learned a great deal about the history of the observatory and astronomy. It was topped off with a wonderful planetarium show. The whole experience was fascinating and enjoyable, and I highly recommend the tour.

— Paul

My husband and I had a great time on this tour! Lisa was very knowledgeable and entertaining about the different sights (man-made and natural) we saw. The hike wasn’t too difficult (we are both 70+) and Lisa made sure we went at a pace we could all enjoy. I would recommend this tour to both visitors and Angelenos; we live in LA but learned lots of information from Lisa!

— Laurie

FAQs

Can we stay in Griffith Observatory after the tour?

What is the cancellation policy?

What if it rains?

What about gratuities?

Starting from $49

Starting from €47

Starting from £39

Starting from C$71

Starting from A$79

Local experts

Personal stories and insider travel tips

Top-rated

Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars

Worry-free booking

Flexible scheduling and refunds