From outside, the observatory offers views of the Hollywood Hills to the north, mountains to the east and a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean to the west. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
A mother and child look at a picture of a galaxy in the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
At each end of the building stairs curl up around the building to the rooftop. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
The observatory offers exceptional views of the city. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
The entry rotunda features murals from the 1930s by Hugo Ballin. The centerpiece celebrates celestial mythology; the side panels mark the advance of science. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
Visitors can freshen up on the periodic table of the elements. A timed reservation system has been set up for visitors. This weekend at the observatory is already sold out. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
When you walk through the steel doors and into the entry hall, with the newly bright Hugo Ballin murals above and Foucault pendulum swinging determinedly away below, you are completely enveloped in the old building. (Kirk McKoy / LAT)
Dug under the front lawn, the Gunther Depths of Space allows visitors to experience the scale of the universe. (Kirk McKoy / LAT)
The Griffith Park Observatory seen from Dante’s Peak in Griffith Park at sunset. (Damon Winter / LAT)
