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The Observatory & Constellation Room

The Observatory and the Constellation Room are music halls located in one venue featuring a wide selection of musical talent across all genres. The Observatory is a large room that feels small, with great views from all over the venue and Premium Seating options. The Constellation Room is a small venue with great sound where you’ll be able to see next year’s stars now in an intimate setting.

In 2011, John Rieser, Courtney Michealis, and Courtney Dubar partnered to open The Observatory, a music venue built on the site of the old Santa Ana Galaxy Theater. The venue provided a new stop for touring bands who used to skip the area in favor of clubs in L.A.

The Observatory & Constellation Room

The debut of The Observatory changed the touring game for musicians looking to get the most out of the West Coast leg of their tours. There have been a few changes over the years, but in the 21st century The Observatory has not only booked hundreds of shows per year, it also expanded into San Diego with the opening of The San Diego North Park Observatory, situated at the former North Park Theatre and West Coast Tavern.

The Observatory Tickets

Concerts at this legendary venue are held in the larger main hall but also in the more intimate Constellation Room.

Buying tickets in advance (via LiveNation) is encouraged as the Observatory Box Office itself is not open except on show day. If you seek VIP seating this is available, but the official site is not transparent about prices, availability or other options. You must fill out a contact form and wait for a representative to get in touch with you. VIP seating is likely handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Box Office Hours: Day of show only
The Observatory Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-observatory-tickets-santa-ana/venue/73867
Constellation Room Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/constellation-room-tickets-santa-

Buying tickets to a show at the Observatory doesn’t give you “in and out” privileges for both concerts that might be happening at the same time; concertgoers should know there is a strict admission policy and no re-entry allowed once you have departed. It is official Observatory policy that no stage diving or crowd surfing is permitted.

As a general rule, though, shows start one hour after doors. Set times for each act and headliner change with each lineup. Keep in mind that the “show start time” may mean the headliner, one opening act, or several opening acts.

All attendees age 3 and over require a ticket.

VIP Seating

  • Prime Seat Location
  • Premium Parking
  • Private Bar
  • VIP Lounge Access
  • Does not include meet and greet with the artist
  • Plus More
The Observatory VIP Room

The Observatory/Constellation Room Details

Paid Parking: Yes (from West Lake Center Drive you’ll see signs for parking areas. Limited street parking.)
Address: 3503 S Harbor Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Phone: 714.957.0600
Box Office Hours: Day of show only
Website: https://www.observatoryoc.com/
The Observatory Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-observatory-tickets-santa-ana/venue/73867
The Observatory Seating Capacity: 972
Constellation Room Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/constellation-room-tickets-santa-ana/venue/74683
The Constellation Room Seating Capacity: 250
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/observatoryoc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/observatoryoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObservatoryOC
Ride Share: Yes
Dress: Mostly casual, dress up or down

If you plan to attend a show at the Observatory, you should know some general admission policies. For example, the only bags permitted at the venue are:

  • Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags (maximum size: 12″x6″x12″)
  • Small clutch bags of any color, “approximately the size of a hand” (maximum size: 4.5″x6.5″)

When attending shows at The Observatory, ADA areas are available but you may need to contact the venue in advance for this option. The main concert areas are standing room only.

Like most important clubs in the area, The Observatory has a strict “do not bring” policy for ALL of the following:

  • Guns, knives, weapons, pepper spray
  • Projectiles of any kind, or any other item that could be used to inflict harm
  • Replica weapons
  • No substances
  • No outside food or drinks
  • No personal recording devices
  • No professional recording devices
  • No containers
  • No full-face masks
  • No large bags over 10” x 10”
  • No backpacks, Camelbacks or Bota bags
  • No toys of any kind
  • No crowd surfing or stage diving

There is no coat or bag check at the venue.

The Observatory Directions

The Observatory and Constellation Room are one mile north of Interstate 405, at the intersection of West Lake Center Drive and South Harbor Blvd.

  • If you’re coming from the 405 North, exit Harbor Blvd and turn left, then turn right at West Lake Center Drive.
  • If you’re coming from the 405 South, exit Harbor Blvd and turn right, then right again at West Lake Center Drive.
  • You’ll see the venue on the left and signs for parking.

Paid parking is offered at the venue, but spaces may be limited. It’s best to rideshare or carpool to The Observatory if you have a group. There are multiple OCTA bus lines with stops “close” to the venue.

A Brief History Of The Observatory

Once the Observatory opened in 2011, it didn’t take long for the thousand-seat venue to become one of the premier destinations for live music. In only a few years, the venue was booking more than 500 events a year–this not so long after the Galaxy Theatre was described in the press as being so decrepit it looks like it might have fallen down on its own accord.

The opening of the Observatory wasn’t easy–it took hundreds of thousands of dollars to redo the building, install sound equipment, and get the venue ready for the public. And the renovations would keep on coming; in 2015 The Observatory signed an exclusive agreement for concert bookings with LiveNation.

But that deal would not last long. Not because the arrangement turned sour but instead because LiveNation decided to purchase both The Observatory and its San Diego counterpart.

The now-former owners seemed pleased with the transaction, Courtney Dubar was quoted in the press talking about the excitement over what LiveNation might do with the venues over the coming years.

See our guide for what to bring to a concert.


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Joe Wallace
Joe Wallace has been covering real estate, mortgage and financial topics since 1995. His work has appeared on ABC, USA Today, The Pentagon Channel, Veteran.com plus a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News.