The original 1923 sign featured 4,000 light bulbs that blinked in segments: 'HOLLY', then 'WOOD', then 'LAND'.
Hugh Hefner hosted a gala at the Playboy Mansion in 1978 to raise funds for the sign's total reconstruction, auctioning off individual letters for $27,777 each.
The letters are not flat; they are constructed as a 3D framework of steel sheeting.
The sign has been officially declared a Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Monument.
A prankster famously altered the sign to read 'HOLLYWEED' in both 1976 and 2017 to celebrate relaxed cannabis laws.
The letters span a total length of 350 feet.
Mount Lee, where the sign stands, is named after Don Lee, a Cadillac dealer and radio station owner who once owned the land.
The letters are painted with a specific 'Hollywood Sign White' reflective paint to enhance visibility from the city below.
The Hollywood Sign consists of 45-foot-tall white letters located on Mount Lee in Griffith Park. Originally erected in 1923 as 'HOLLYWOODLAND' to promote a real estate development, the final four letters were removed during a 1949 renovation. The letters are constructed from steel and are not accessible to the public, as the site is fenced and monitored by security cameras. It serves as a visual landmark for the Los Angeles film industry and sits at an elevation of 1,578 feet. The current structure was fully reconstructed in 1978 after the original wood and metal sign fell into severe disrepair. It is managed by the Hollywood Sign Trust in cooperation with the City of Los Angeles. The sign is visible from various vantage points across the Los Angeles basin.
The viewing area at the Griffith Observatory provides a clear, elevated perspective of the letters.
Use the Griffith Observatory parking lot or nearby hiking trails like the Brush Canyon Trail for legal viewpoints.
Do not rely on GPS navigation to reach the exact base of the sign, as most residential street addresses in the area have strict parking enforcement or are blocked off to tourists.
Bring water and sun protection, as the hiking trails in Griffith Park offer little shade.
Do not attempt to drive into the Beachwood Canyon residential neighborhood, as residents frequently report tourists to authorities for blocking narrow roads.
Hiking trails require sturdy footwear; stay strictly on marked paths as the terrain is protected and monitored.
