Where is the Planetarium on the SMC Main Campus?
The SMC Planetarium is in room MSB 126 of the Math and Science Building, located on the south (Pearl St.) side of the SMC Main Campus, next to Parking Lot 1 (just west of 20th St.). The SMC Main Campus is at 1900 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica, south of the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway and west of the 405 (San Diego) Freeway. (Maps and Directions)
Directions to the Santa Monica College Main 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 (south) on 20th St. to Pearl St., then turn right (west) on Pearl St. The closest parking to the planetarium is in Lot 1.
Parking for Friday Evening Public Shows
Parking is FREE all across campus, even in staff parking areas, on Friday nights when planetarium shows are being given. The closest lots are:
- Parking Lot 1 is located next to the Math and Science Building and can be entered from Pearl St.; (Map of SMC Parking Structures).
- Parking Lot 5 is located across Pearl St. from the Math and Science Building and can be entered from Pearl St.; (Map of SMC Parking Structures).
Parking for School Shows
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SMC Main Campus Parking: There are NO available parking permits at the parking kiosks. Free parking is available at the SMC Bundy Campus shuttle lot (see below). Visitor parking for the SMC Main Campus is available for $10 per day. Purchase visitor parking passes online at 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 College Dr. Follow College Dr. 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, near the Math and Science Building where the planetarium is located.
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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 St. on the south side of the SMC Main Campus (SMC Shuttle stop on Pearl St.). 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 SMC Bundy Campus (Shuttle Lot at SMC Bundy Campus), where there is room to park a bus.