meta-dad

Stellar Roadtrip for the Kids

Whenever family comes to town for a visit, my wife tries to plan some type of tourist trip for them. Since we have young kids, as the saying goes, “we don’t get out much,” so it is generally something we genuinely look forward to as well. This past weekend, we ventured up to check out the Griffith Observatory overlooking metro Los Angeles. It was closed in 2002, for a four year renovation and expansion project after decades of heavy use.

The visit is free (including parking), and includes all of the exhibits in the main halls, “The Once and Future Griffith Observatory” video (24 minutes) in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, as well as the Zeiss Telescope on the roof (7-10pm on those rare clear nights, of course).

There is currently a show entitled, “Centered in the Universe” (33 minutes), playing in the planetarium but since we had the toddlers in tow we did not venture. For those of you interested, please know that they do admit children 4 years and under but only to the first show of the day.

The main exhibits are stuffed with interactive kiosks describing everything from the relationship between the ocean’s tides and the moon, what happens during an eclipse, what the surface of Saturn is like and why Pluto is not considered a planet anymore. There is a lot to take in and fortunately the experience was very tactile (good to keep the kids entertained).

After soaking up the exhibits, be sure to walk along the southern edge of the observatory (outside the planetarium), you will experience an breathtaking views of Los Angeles. The lawn by the Astronomer Monument was a perfect place for the boys to work off some of that pent-up energy and have a snack in the shade.

If you do decide to go on the weekend, go early. The parking lot fills up quickly.

Related Sites:
Griffith Observatory