It was great except I would rather go when it's not spring break, too crowded. Overall it was good.read more

I love the observatory! I come here almost every day to…read morerelax and enjoy the views! It's an educational exercise;)

It's sad that this planetarium was closed for renovations and then Covid happened and ever since…read more2020 they never re-opened. When you go to their website it says "temporarily closed" however being closed for going on 6 years does not seem like it's temporary - which is unfortunate!

Found this on Yelp and so happy to have gone tonight! I've gone to the planetarium at Mt. SAC, but…read moreit's really far to me now in Long Beach. This is close and convenient to the 22. The show we went to tonight was really cool and interesting. Patricia Sullivan hosted and she was fun, welcoming and made things easy to understand. Loved seeing the constellations projected onto the planetarium dome and then there was an awesome presentation about the solar system afterward. I'll definitely be back! I only gave four stars because I was hoping/looking forward to a Night Sky Live that was included in the program notes, but it didn't happen. I would also love to look through telescopes, so not sure if that's a different program altogether.

The good: I cannot believe I didn't know about this place…read moresooner! This place was amazing for my two kids (age almost 3, and almost 5). I loved how most of it was outdoors with natural elements. The physics area had tanbark. There were yurt-type tents for private birthday parties. There's a theater area where people played guitar and performed songs like "you got a friend in me." Parking was free! The parking lot was massive and easy to find a spot. The stream was fun for kids to get wet in without the dangers of sharp real rocks. I also loved the stream and sand area with soft rocks. My kids could've stayed in that area forever. There were also climbable areas with well-thought out side spaces for parents to follow their kids without parents having to get into the play structure itself. We enjoyed tie-dyeing cloths and bicycle riding. I liked how there were different size bikes and even a 2 person bike. My older toddler drove my little toddler but adults can also ride in the bike and peddle for little ones sitting in the front. The neighborhood around the museum was also beautiful with mature canopy trees and natural canyon-looking areas. The price is also really affordable at $15-16 pp. There's senior discounts as well. In the craft room my kids made adventure books. We spent 3 hours there but could've easily spent more if it weren't for kids being too tired. The bad: We didn't fully get to explore the indoor area because it was really crowded. We didn't see the foam blue blocks that Blippi played with in his episode. There was a long wait for the bike rides but it was because each kid gets to go 4-5 laps. $6 dip-n-dots in a tiny bag are a rip off. I wish they had better ice cream options there. The interesting: At the entrance they had two folks on guitar to welcome you. I liked the colorful mosaic tunnel. They sold Pocky for $3 and other snacks.

We went last Sunday and I can't believe it's taken us this long to go here! My 4 year old and…read morealmost 3 year old loved this place. We managed to go on the last day of butterfly season and my kids really loved all the butterfly touches. We even purchased our own caterpillars to take home with us :) Parking wasn't too bad and the weather was great on this day, but it was pretty busy. We mostly stayed outdoors and there were plenty of things for the kids to do. Definitely bring a change of clothes though because there is some water play. We'll be back :)

Tickets for the planetarium shows cannot be purchased online or in advance. They must be purchased…read moreabout 30-45 mins before each show starts. Usually the lines are long if you try to purchase the tickets near the front entrance. But there are a few kiosks and other box offices available inside the observatory. Kiosks are the easiest way to purchase the tickets and avoid the frustratingly long lines. It is advised to go inside the planetarium at least 20 mins before the show starts. For some shows, the entrance to the planetarium is from the West terrace. On a cold night, it can get very chilly and the lines and wait times could be long. So, make sure to wear warm clothing. Coming to the planetarium shows, I viewed the 'Signs of life' and 'Centered in the universe'. Both of them are well made, perfectly timed and very informative. I enjoyed them thoroughly.

first of all, the ticket line was way too long, I had o wait under the sun forever just to buy them…read moreand honestly that already killed my vibe. On top of that, parking was $10 per hour -- I mean, come on, that's crazy. I was already a little in a bad mood, so maybe that didn't help, but still they should really fix how they do the ticket distribution. It felt super disorganized. Now, the good part, the dome is beautiful, the projections look amazing, and the whole vibe inside is actually pretty cool. But I just couldn't fully enjoy it with all the stress before the show.

We did the private tour of the observatory, and let me tell you it was so worth it. I booked the…read moreprivate tour as an anniversary gift for my husband, he's a physicist and I knew this would be right up his alley. The tour guide was so friendly and knowledgeable about the observatory. The tour takes you through several parts of the observatory with experts at each stopping point. As someone who isn't into physics, I can honestly say I actually had a blast. There's also a small cafe that serves sandwiches and soups that was also really good. The observatory and cafe are open only during part of the year, so definitely check out their site for the hours.

This is a must visit for all Angelenos and tourists and anyone interested in matters earthly and…read moreuniversal. We did the 2+ hour docent tour, worth every penny. Everyone here is a volunteer (docents, scientists, and all) so they rely on donations and purchases of merch and all the really special events they plan. You need to get a $5 daily pass to park in the lot since it's a national forest. Easy to get at the Cosmic Cafe upon arrival. Sign up online for their newsletter so you can be in the know of some very cool happenings at the observatory.

We had an amazing time at the Museum! This was our first time to a natural history museum and we're…read moreblown away. I do t know what I was expecting, but it genuinely surpassed it. Ever exhibit we walked thru was well staged, informative and captivating. You definitely need more than one day to go thru each exhibit and show/movie. I will say, I felt like the butterfly exhibit was overhyped. But they were really cool to look at.

We visited for our anniversary this year! The museum is much larger than I anticipated. We ended up…read morespending a whole three hours here! There is so much to see and learn about. I like how the museum feels like an "open map" in the sense of being able to start anywhere. Be sure to move around each specimen because there are things to read from all angles. I always appreciate a museum that acknowledges their dark past and explains how they move forward with better knowledge and understanding. Most of this is found in the mammal halls. Great place to take anybody with a passion for the natural world and it's history

Affordable So Cal experience. Multiple shows and showtimes. Clean inside and out and plenty of…read moreparking. We watched "Explore". Would like to see other shows.

I've been to Sphere Las Vegas and Universal studios...Kungfu Panda with vibrating seats insink to…read moresound system and 3d and sharp colored shows....This Beautifica 360 is soooo boring and dull screen. Sound system is very weak and no sound effects to the show. Totally waste of money. Good thing we just wanted to try it out and didn't waste money on vip tickets. We're so disappointed! Please don't waste your time and money on this!!!

We visited the California Science Center for their Mummies of the World exhibition, which runs…read morethrough September 7 (2026). Pictures were allowed, just no flash photography. The docents were very kind and eager to answer any questions we might have had. It was incredible and I highly recommend visiting before exhibiting is taken off from display. I posted a lot of pictures but trust me, this is something you have to see in person to truly appreciate it.

Perfect "Oooo Ahhhh" Spot for Kids - Science Magic for School Trips & Family Days!…read more Put on my kid hat for this one -- if you're taking little ones (or even bigger kids) on a school trip or family outing, the California Science Center in LA is an absolute winner. It's full of hands-on exhibits that spark that big "oooo ahhhh" reaction and sneak in real learning without feeling like school. From ecosystems and living kelp forests to interactive science zones, space stuff, and whatever special exhibit is on (right now it's Mummies of the World -- super cool for curious minds), there are tons of intellectual learning points wrapped in pure fun. Kids light up pushing buttons, experimenting, and discovering how things work. It's designed perfectly for young learners and school groups. As an adult walking in, it might not be your first-choice cup of tea if you're looking for something more sophisticated -- a lot of it is geared toward children and families. But if you're there for the kids, you'll still enjoy watching their excitement and maybe even learn a thing or two yourself. Highly recommend for families with little ones or any school trip. The wonder and "aha!" moments make it worth the visit.

The small museum has numerous activities to encourage learning in the STEM field (science,…read moretechnology, engineering and mathematics) for ages three and up. Our little one enjoyed making and flying several different paper airplanes. Many hands on activities on the second floor geared toward the younger generation, I was equally eager to learn. Robotics on the first floor and many other displays, I especially enjoyed the astronaut suits! Planets represented outdoors, also has a native plants garden but it was too hot thus late afternoon.

Came here with the family today since it was part of the SoCal free museum day, and it ended up…read morebeing a nice, easy outing. This is a smaller museum, which actually worked out great with kids. You can go through everything in about an hour without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Good option if you don't want to commit to a full-day museum. Experience: A lot of hands-on exhibits, which kept the kids interested. Simple, interactive, and easy to understand -- especially for younger kids. Not super advanced, but still fun and educational. Value: Hard to beat since it was free today. Even at regular price, it's still reasonable for a short visit. Overall: Nice local spot, especially for families. Not huge or super high-tech, but it does the job for a quick outing. Would come back, especially if looking for something simple to do with the kids.