[photo credit: Eventbrite]
The roughly 90-minute tours run on the last Friday of each month and reach behind-the-scenes areas most people see only from the stands or on television. Friday’s sessions are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the stadium, a National Historic Landmark owned by the City of Pasadena.
According to the Rose Bowl Stadium Tours listing and the Visit Pasadena directory, the walk-through covers the original 1922 locker room, the stadium seating, the Terry Donahue Pavilion, the Loge Lounge and the working press box. Guides trace the stadium’s history, from the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, who played there in 1925, to Brandi Chastain’s game-winning kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final.
The stadium opened in October 1922 and is recognized as both a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark. According to the Rose Bowl Stadium, it has hosted five Super Bowls and the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final, and it has been home to UCLA Bruins football since 1982.
Meredith Thomas, senior director of communications at the Rose Bowl Stadium, described the venue’s continuing draw in remarks to Pasadena Now. “The stadium continues to be a generational treasure that people want to visit because of their personal ties to its rich history and heritage,” Thomas said.
Thomas also pointed to the stadium’s origins. “This stadium was conceived and built because of necessity for a new site for the annual new year football game outside of Tournament Park, and not because of the need of a professional team,” she said.
Recent additions to the tour, announced in 2024, include the California High School Football Hall of Fame, located between Tunnels 20 and 21, and new statues of Terry Donahue and Archie Griffin.
The Rose Bowl has opened its gates to public tours since 2013. The program also offers complimentary tours at community events and discounted educational tours for local schools, according to Pasadena Now.
The stadium is located at 1001 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena. Visitors are advised to park in Lot F and meet the tour team at Gate A at least 15 minutes before the start time. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, and parts of the tour are outdoors. Tour locations are subject to change due to stadium operations. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite.
After Friday, the stadium’s public tours continue on the last Friday of each month, with the next sessions scheduled for July 31.
Rose Bowl Stadium Public Tour | Friday, June 26, 2026, 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. | Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Dr. | 🔗 https://www.eventbrite.com/d/ca–pasadena/rose-bowl/
