On the topic of “What makes a good public space?” We have to assess four main factors: Accessibility, Activities, Comfort, and Sociability. Here’s a wonderful infographic that really outlines the best aspects of each of these four categories.
On this subject, I made a mission to find a wonderful public space while also having just a little bit of fun. I had the opportunity this Sunday morning to go to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, near North Hollywood, a classic monument to astronomy. After taking public transportation and hiking to arrive at the Observatory, I can confidently say that the Griffith Observatory makes a wonderful public space for those who are even mildly interested in hiking or in astronomy. However, due to its distance from most of downtown LA, it can be inconvenient for people to go to on a daily basis.
Access:
Located on the outskirts of Griffith Park, the observatory is a relatively accessible area. From downtown LA, one can take a Metro for $1.75 to the Sunset/Vermont station.
For those who are feeling active, one can walk up Vermont Avenue to reach the base of the mountain. Vermont Avenue has lots of cute shops and cafes that are very welcoming to the general public.
There, a myriad of hiking trails are available to climb to reach the observatory, full of gorgeous lookout points, each one better than the last.
However, for those who want an efficient and fast path to the top, a $0.50 shuttle takes people to the summit and the direct entrance of the observatory.
Although a little out of the way, getting to the observatory is not that much of a hassle. The museum entry is also completely free to the public.
Comfort:
When one first enters the base of the mountain, one is greeted by a friendly bear and warning sign.
However, these are warnings are precautionary – from personal experience, I can say there were no mountain lions or other dangerous animals or wildfires when I hiked.
After about 20 minutes in the heat, we reached the summit! The hike itself was very rewarding, especially when I reached the top.
The observatory itself provides a very comfortable atmosphere – extremely family friendly with exhibits that are great for all ages, the space is extremely clean, and there’s an equal balance of gender and ages there. Every so often, security guards walk around the perimeter of the observatory to keep people safe and off the ledges. A lot of people take pictures of the amazing view of the city down below – there is ample room for photography.
Here are some of the views I had the chance to see:
Activities:
While there are no “specific” activities every hour or so, there are many exhibits to see inside of the observatory itself. Furthermore, movies are played in the observatory for a small fee, and one person narrates an exhibit constantly. In fact, the the authentic exhibit is so old that the narrator can only turn it on every so often, and people crowd around the exhibit just to take photographs.
However, the observatory is mostly only geared towards people who are vaguely or really interested in science – since the observatory is all about astronomy, someone who has no interest in astronomy would probably not enjoy their stay here.
Sociability:
While there aren’t many benches to sit down on around the observatory, there is a lot of shade provided by the buildings that people sit underneath.
I imagine that the observatory would not be somewhere people would casually meet up to socialize at; of course it’s a wonderful place for a nature excursion or for a science day, but due to its location that makes it more out of the way, it would not provide the best social area.
If you’re ever looking for a little education, sky or stargazing, or even just for an escape from the bustling city life of LA, Griffith Observatory is for you.
Thought Bubble 
I can see from your post that you thoroughly spent time at the observatory and did some good research. I would agree with you that if you are not the most scientifically minded person it mite not be the place you want to hang out every weekend. But like in some of your photos you can tell that it is a LA landmark, and that fact that it is easily accessible and not expensive to visit, makes more people want to come see what all the commotion is about this great observatory. I like to hear that there was a presence of security, especially if it is visited by so many people. Overall from what you described, I think that this is a fairly good public space that could cater to many different age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.
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I have never been to the Griffith Observatory, but the pictures you took and the descriptions you gave make me very interested in checking it out. It seems that the space is easy to access, and that although what it offers is predominantly science-based, non-science-enthusiasts can still enjoy the great view and be able to escape the urban space of the city. What would you say is the most successful aspect of the Observatory?
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