Mount Wilson Observatory, where Edwin Hubble proved the universe is expanding, launches something entirely new this season: weekend movies.
The observatory will screen the 1997 sci-fi drama “Contact” on Saturday, July 26 as part of its “Matinees on the Mountain” series.
The screening runs from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the observatory’s 256-seat auditorium, 5,700 feet above sea level.
“This is, after all, where Edwin Hubble proved that there’s more to the universe outside of our own Milky Way galaxy and that the universe is in fact expanding,” notes Time Out Los Angeles.
The film stars Jodie Foster as SETI scientist Ellie Arroway in director Robert Zemeckis’s adaptation of Carl Sagan’s novel.
“Contact” won the 1998 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and grossed $171.1 million worldwide.
New this season, the series launched in May, featuring classic sci-fi, vintage silent films, and family-friendly surprises on select Saturday afternoons.
General admission costs $20, with children under 12 paying $15.
Parking costs $5 per vehicle, plus a required U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass ($5 daily; $30 annual).
Attendees can dine at the Cosmic Café or picnic on the grounds. Officials recommend bringing layers and arriving early due to winding mountain roads.
“Matinees on the Mountain: Contact” will run on Saturday, July 26 at 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mount Wilson Observatory, 100 Mt Wilson Circle Rd, Mount Wilson. For more call (626) 214-8030 or visit https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie072625/. Tickets: general admission $20, children under 12 $15.
