What to Know
- Los Angeles City Hall Tours, presented by Los Angeles Conservancy
- Aug. 7, 14, and 21, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
- $30 public; $20 members; $20 youth
It's not unusual to encounter people in Los Angeles wearing a variety of eye-catching hats, adornments that help them to stand out from the crowd.
We can make the same claim about our region's most spectacular buildings; your favorite structure might boast a whimsical gargoyle near its apex, or a regal clocktower, or an architectural flourish that distinguishes it from its nearest neighbors, even if those neighbors aren't especially plain.
And if you get to talking about terrific toppers, those zazzy zeniths that make our local buildings bolder, then you have to talk about a world-famous landmark that is known for its sky-high ziggurat.
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It's Los Angeles City Hall, that municipal-minded movie star seen on the silver screen, in the pages of noir novels, and, of course, daily by most anyone calling upon DTLA.
Los Angeles Conservancy has long paid tribute to this stately civic superstar, both through informative virtual tours and, back in the day, real and actual peeks inside.
Now "back in the day" has returned, for in-person tours are again on the LA Conservancy schedule after a five-year hiatus.
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The tours include city hall's exterior, a visit to the tower's observation deck (yep, the one of the 27th floor), and other interior points of interest.
Guests will also learn about the design and construction of the building, which debuted in 1928; a look at the eminent architects who dreamt up this enduring icon, as well as the artists who gave its tilework and details such distinctive Deco-ish flair, will be part of the event.
Some background about its restoration and retrofitting, an urgent necessity following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, will also be provided.
Since the tour has been lights-out since 2019, spots will fill up rather quickly; secure your ticket — $30 general, $20 member — faster than it takes to locate the ziggurat on your flight into LAX.
Surely this is an in-the-air tradition that many Angelenos share? Once you spy our celebrated City Hall, and its stylish tower-topping feature, you know you're almost home.
