Community

Directions

 

Where is the Planetarium on Campus?

The Drescher Planetarium is in room 223 on the 2nd floor of Drescher Hall, the three story tall, brown and tan colored building on Pico Blvd., between 17th and 18th Sts. Enter Drescher Hall from the south side (facing the interior of the college campus). The central staircase and elevator will take you right to the planetarium on the second floor (Map to the John Drscher Planetarium​).

Directions to Santa Monica College Campus

Take the Santa Monica Freeway (#10) west past the San Diego Freeway (#405). Exit the freeway at the Cloverfield/26th St. offramp. Turn left (south) onto 26th St. at the signal at the end of the offramp. The second signal you come to is Pico Blvd.Turn right (west) onto Pico Blvd. Turn left onto the campus at the main entrance on 17th St.

Parking for Friday Evening Public Shows

Parking is FREE all across campus, even in staff parking areas, on Friday nights while shows are being given. The closest lots are:

  • Parking Structure 4 which can be accessed by keeping right after turning onto 17th street and then turning right into the structre at the roundabout. Lot 4 can also be entered by turning right from east-bound Pico Blvd. just after passing 16th Street (Map of SMC Parking Structures).
  • Parking Structure 3 which can be accessed by keeping straight after turning onto 17th street and driving down into the structure (Map of SMC Parking Structures).

Parking for School Shows

  • Main Campus Parking: There are NO available parking permits at the parking kiosks. Free parking is available at the Bundy shuttle lot (see below). Visitor parking for the main campus is available for $10 per day. Purchase visitor parking passes online at www.smc.edu/parking​. All students and visitors are expected to follow SMC's parking rules and regulations. Free visitor parking permits may be obtained only for visiting planetarium program carpools by providing vehicle information to the planetarium director at least 8 business days prior to the scheduled program, allowing vehicle license numbers to be registered in the campus parking database. Any vehicle not registered by one of these methods is subject to a parking citation and fine. Required information is:
    Guest Name, Guest Email, Date of planetarium show, License Plate & State, Year, Color, Make, Model, Type of vehicle (SUV, car, etc).​

  • SMC Shuttle Lot: Take the Santa Monica Freeway (#10) west past the San Diego Freeway (#405). Exit at Bundy Drive South. Follow Bundy south, past Ocean Park Blvd. and the east end of the Santa Monica Airport. Turn right (west) onto Airport Ave. Follow Airport Ave. about a quarter of a mile and turn right into SMC Shuttle Lot South (Shuttle Lot at SMC Bundy. Campus). Park there and take the SMC shuttle bus to the main campus. The shuttle bus will leave you off on Pearl St. along the south side of the SMC campus. Walk north, through the center of campus to Drescher Hall on Pico Blvd (Map to the John Drscher Planetarium​).

  • Directions for School Bus Drivers: We do not have the space to park buses on the main campus. You will want to drop off your passengers at the "Shuttle Bus Stop" on Pearl Street on the South side of the college campus (SMC Shuttle stop on Pearl Street). After disembarking your group, you will have to go elsewhere until your group is ready to leave. Then you may return to pick them up at the Shuttle Bus Stop where you left them off. You may wish to stay, for that time period, at the SMC Shuttle Lot South at the Santa Monica Airport Bundy Campus (Shuttle Lot at SMC Bundy Campus), where there is room to park a bus.