The Mount Wilson Observatory presents its first Matinees on the Mountain screening, Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 3:00 p.m., with Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
This unique opportunity to see 2001: A Space Odyssey atop Mount Wilson is a mind-blowing dream marriage between movie-going and mountain vista viewing. And if 2001: A Space Odyssey wasn’t already on your bucket list, then now is your chance to see it at the Mount Wilson Observatory during their series, Matinees on the Mountain, inside the auditorium. Noted for its “unconventional narrative,” scientifically accurate depiction of spaceflight (R.I.P. PanAm), and pioneering visual effects, 2001: A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made by Kubrick.
The new film series on select Saturday afternoons this season will take place in the Observatory’s 256-seat auditorium, screening classic science fiction, early scientific, vintage silent films and shorts, and other surprises.
Mount Wilson. Photo courtesy of the Mount Wilson Institute.
Enjoy a lunch picnic on the grounds or at the Cosmic Cafe, then explore the Observatory’s rich history and sprawling views of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley and mountains before you embark on this unique cinematic experience 1-mile above the City of Los Angeles.
Tickets for 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Observatory are $20 for general admission and $15 for children under 12.
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Passes are available at locations around Los Angeles during the week. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway. For more information about Passes and other locations to buy them visit the U.S. Forest Service.
Mount Wilson is accessed through Mount Wilson Circle Road & Mount Wilson Toll Road.
The Map page shows various SoCal routes to the 2 and 210 Freeways which feed into Angeles Crest Highway leading to Red Box Road, which then leads to Mount Wilson Circle Road. PLEASE NOTE: Do not rely on directions given by phone apps, they can be incorrect. We recommend downloading and printing this PDF map with directions.
More Mustn’t Miss Matinees on the Mountain
June 21
Sci-Fi Silent Shorts with Joe Rinaudo and The Livonian Cinema. Historian and Preservationist Joe Rinaudo brings his hand-cranked 35mm projector and collection of silent films up the mountain, including two by the father of Film Visual Effects, George Méliès–A Trip to the Moon and The Eclipse.
July 26
Contact. Based on the 1985 novel by Carl Sagan, Contact stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, a SETI scientist who finds evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact.
August 23
Astronomical Short Films with LA Filmforum. Los Angeles Filmforum presents early scientific films that venture to understand and represent the cosmos.
September 27
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) + Bob Baker Marionettes. An Indiana electric lineman finds his quiet life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO. An extra bonus to the show includes the Bob Baker Marionettes, who bring us stringed astronomers and puppets made for the production of the film.
The Mount Wilson auditorium. Photo courtesy of the Mount Wilson Institute.
About the Mount Wilson Observatory
Since its founding in 1904 by astronomer and visionary George Ellery Hale, the research conducted at Mount Wilson Observatory has revolutionized our understanding of the Universe. Perched on top of Mount Wilson, a 5,710-foot peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, California, the Observatory boasts a rich history and significant contributions to science and the heritage of Los Angeles. The Observatory’s 100-inch Telescope—the world’s largest telescope from 1917 to 1949—forever changed our understanding of the scale and nature of our Universe and deeply expanded human knowledge. This world-heritage class instrument, used by many of the greatest astronomers of the Twentieth Century, launched a revolution in astronomy that continues through today.
Mount Wilson Institute has independently operated and maintained the Mount Wilson Observatory since 1989 under a long-term agreement with the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The Observatory and grounds are open to the public to visit, and during the spring and summer months the Institute produces programs including observing sessions through the historic telescopes (the largest on the planet made available to the public), lectures, concerts, art exhibits, educational programs, and more. Many of these cultural offerings are presented inside the singular vaulted dome of the 100-inch Telescope.
All proceeds from ticketed events go to support Mount Wilson Institute in its mission to preserve, protect, and promote the Observatory and its scientific accomplishments.
