Just Call Me Jamin! - Observatory

Never a dull day... For a homeschooling Mama. Who is teaching who? Jamin 2007

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Feb. 11, 2008

Observatory

One of the reasons we wanted to go to Los Angeles "one last time" before we head East is because we wanted to go to The Observatory at Griffith Park. My husband grew up near Griffith Park and spent much of his childhood in the park. We have been there together hundreds of times, so it is a special place for us.

A few years ago they closed the Observatory for a 93 million dollar renovation! They spent 4 years putting a basement under the front lawn. I really wanted to see what 93 million could buy these days! LOL

I was happy to see when we arrived that the outside of the Observatory had not changed. I was expecting them to have added a parking garage, but NOPE they parking is still very tiny. It wasn't a problem for us because we went in the middle of the week and it was raining. But I would imagine the weekends and Summers are interesting??? I can remember parking problems back in the 80's! LOL (So what I am saying is I thought for 93 million they would have sprung for some better parking!)

The other good new was that the Foucault's Pendulum is still located right inside the front door.

I have frequently thought we should have one of these installed in our home. All 3 kids are fascinated with it and they are happy to stand and watch the pendulum swing back and forth until Mom can't take it anymore! LOL

This is at the new entrance to the 93 million dollar basement! LOL

It is a display of 2000 pieces of planet/sky/star related jewelry that was collected by one woman! The website says It "is a 150-foot timeline of the universe whimsically composed of celestial-themed jewelry in the glass case that lines the corridor." When they renovated the museum she donated it all. They did a really great job grouping it all together and making a real work of art out of it. The boys were not impressed, but my daughter and I loved it!

Here is my oldest holding a piece of meterorite.

My daughter checking out a huge globe of the Earth

There were a lot of interactive exhibits. Which the little engineer of the family LOVED!

My kids with Einstein

This was cool. An actual piece of Moon rock next to a cool model of the Moon.

Here is my little one touching a piece of the moon and a piece of mars!

This is a fragment of the meteor from Meteor Crater in Arizona. We have been there many time so this kids thought it was cool to see this!

This was in the Observatory before the remodel.

This poor woman was hit by a piece of rogue meteor that fell through her roof! I don't know which would be worse, getting hit or having this picture out for all the world to see! LOL

Star Gazing

This thing is a real kid pleaser! It is called a Tesla coil. I don't really understand how it works, but I know my kids love to push the button to make the electricity shoot through the air! LOL (Very Frankenstein. This one in fact was used in the Frakenstein Movie.)

This was my oldest sons favorite thing there.

Apparently for 93 million dollars you can get the sign, but that is not quite enough to buy the letters to go on it! LOL We decided this was weather information. It was telling us it was dark and rainy!

It was a fun visit. It would have been much better if the weather had cooperated We didn't get to go up and see the BIG telescopes, which was a bummer. A lot of things were closed because it was a weekday and hardly anyone was there. But, it is always great to have to place to yourself. My kids LOVE to ask questions so it was fun to have all the docents undivided attention!

As for the 93 million they spent??? Wow, I was a little disappointed. I mean I was expecting the Moon and the Stars! (Pardon the pun! LOL) I was actually a little surprised how little it had changed for so much money. BUT, it is in Los Angeles after all and everyone knows things cost a lot more there! LOL Honestly, I just cannot get past the fact that they did nothing to improve the parking.....

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Feb. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by chelelew

Oh my I'm glad I wasn't drinking my coffee when I read your comment about the rogue meteor hitting the woman. I certainly hope she was paid a pretty penny for that picture. :-) Definitely needed that laugh this morning.

Did I miss something about you all moving "East". I know you were selling the house from an earlier post. But would moving East mean maybe South Carolina? :-) :-)

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Feb. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

Looks like a great place! Our museum has a pendelum, too, and I'm always amazed at how many people stand around watching it. :-)
Dana, www.alexml.blogspot.com

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