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Griffith Park

For the past 125 years, Griffith Park has been used for the recreation, health and pleasure of Angelenos — just as Griffith J. Griffith and his wife Mary Agnes Christine had intended. From the iconic Griffith Observatory and Hollywood sign to the Greek Theater and the now-defunct Griffith Park Zoo, the park has been a beacon for L.A. public recreation since 1896. Discover the park’s rich history and the various ways you can explore it today.

A collage of Griffith Park sights including the Griffith Observatory, the merry-go-round and a Los Angeles Zoo train.
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Ellen Reid’s Griffith Park Soundscape
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Ellen Reid’s Griffith Park Soundscape
'Ellen Reid Soundwalk’ app uses music to illuminate the environs at Griffith Park.
Griffith J. Griffith | Courtesy of UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
The Complex Life of Griffith J. Griffith
Perhaps best known for the large tract of park space that now bears his name, Griffith J. Griffith was a complicated man whose wealth and bombastic nature gave the city one of its most unforgettable characters.
Griffith Observatory in construction | Courtesy of Dick Whittington Photography Collection,1924-1987, University of Southern California Libraries
Riots, Love Fests, Buried Secrets: Griffith Park's Hidden Histories
Since its gifting to Los Angeles on December 1896, Griffith Park has been the sprawling landscape on which Angelenos have drawn their dreams. Learn more about its many unexpected histories.
Young men walking with a view of Griffith Observatory | Courtesy of the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Library
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Season 4 Episode 1
Griffith Park - The Untold History
Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. Its founder, Griffith J. Griffith, donated the land to the city as a public recreation ground for all the people — an ideal that has been challenged over the years.
Griffith Observatory just after sunset. | Flickr/Pedro Szekely/Creative Commons
Getting an Eyeful of the Universe at Griffith Observatory
The longstanding relationship between Griffith Observatory and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society enables Angelenos of all walks of life to enjoy astronomy. 
Tourists at the Hollywood Sign
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The Third Life of the Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign has lived three distinct lives throughout it's history. Most recently it has become a symbol of the Third L.A — where technology and obstructionism mix, and battles over access and shared space exist.
An illustration with the words that would spell out California.
Griffith Park's Lesser-Known Wonders
Beat the crowds by visiting these unexpected landmarks.
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A Whimpering Roar: The Old Griffith Park Zoo, Then and Now
Parts of the old zoo at Griffith Park still stand, and they are moving reminders that sometimes humans just don't know best when it comes to animals.
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Behind the Sign: The Lost Meanings of the Original Hollywood Sign
The history of the famous sign almost seems to confirm all the crazy reveries that suggests Hollywood is the promised land.
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Country Life in the Big City
The Rancho Equestrian District is perhaps the closest to rural living as you can get near downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood.
A horse-drawn carriage ascends a mountain road in Griffith Park, circa 1908. Courtesy of the Title Insurance and Trust / C.C. Pierce Photography Collection, USC Libraries.
How L.A. Got One of the Country's Largest Urban Parks
In 1896, Griffith J. Griffith gave Los Angeles 3,015 acres to create "a place of recreation and rest for the masses."
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Restoring Griffith Park on the East Bank of the Los Angeles River
The 28+ acre site of Griffith Park on the East Bank of the Los Angeles River should be the next great urban park in Los Angeles.
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