Event Archives
Since reopening in 2006 after the renovation and expansion project, the Observatory has hosted hundreds of public events and activities. Whether for eclipses, notable spacecraft anniversaries, or special speakers, the events offered the chance for the public to experience, learn, or be inspired. Sometimes all at the same time!
All past events, as well as upcoming events, can be viewed on our Calendar.
Notable Observatory Events
Celebrating Alan Shepard: 50 Years of American Space Travel
On Thursday, May 5, 2011, the Observatory marked the 50th anniversary of Alan Shepard's historic flight with a special public lecture.
Preview of Space Shuttle Endeavour’s Last Mission
On April 19, 2011, the Observatory hosted a special public lecture to explain why shuttle launches sometimes get delayed and to preview the final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Observatory Hosts Yuri’s Night Lecture
Griffith Observatory hosted a special public lecture on April 12, 2011, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space.
One Small Step: The 40th Anniversary of Apollo 14
Griffith Observatory continues its celebration of NASA’s Apollo missions to the Moon with events marking the 40th anniversary of the flight of Apollo 14 and the 50th anniversary of the flight of Ham the Chimp, the first hominid in space.
Catch That Comet! Chasing Comet Hartley!
Join speakers Malcolm Hartley and Tim Larsen for an evening of discussion about the excitement of comet hunting, the mysteries of the solar system's oldest denizens, and the upcoming flyby of Comet Hartley.
By The Light Of The Watery Moons
Join a team of research astronomers for the latest news and discoveries on three of the hottest (and coldest) moons in our solar system: Titan, Enceladus, and the satellite we thought we knew: Earth's own moon.
Honoring John Dobson on His 95th Birthday
Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society will be celebrating John Dobson’s 95th birthday with a day of public astronomy at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.
Special Guest Lecture and Book Signing by Dr. Brian May and Elena Vidal
Special Guest Lecture and Book Signing by Dr. Brian May and Elena Vidal, author of A Village Lost and Found
Special Guest Lecture and Book Signing by Megan Prelinger
Special Guest Lecture and Book Signing by Megan Prelinger, author of Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race, 1957-1962