Looff Hippodrome, Santa Monica, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Looff Hippodrome is the carousel building at the foot of the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California, built in 1916 and designed by the pier's amusement pioneer Charles Looff. It is one of the oldest and best-loved landmarks on the Southern California waterfront, and it still houses a working carousel today.

The story behind it

Charles Looff was a carousel maker who also built the southern section of the Santa Monica Pier, often called the pleasure pier. When the pier opened its amusement side in 1916, he designed the Hippodrome as the home for the ride at its entrance. The building is also known as the Carousel Building, and it has been a fixture of Ocean Front Walk ever since.

The carousel inside is a hand-carved, hand-painted machine made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, one of the great American builders of the ride. The building has also earned recognition as a National Historic Landmark, and it has appeared on screen in classic Hollywood films, which suits a place so close to the movie business.

What to look for

• Look at the row of arches along the outside walls, which give the building its rhythmic, unmistakable profile.
• Notice how the architecture blends California, Byzantine and Moorish influences, a mix you rarely see on a beachfront amusement building.
• Step to the doorway and watch the carousel horses rise and fall, each one carved and painted by hand rather than stamped out.
• Check the ceiling and the lighting inside, which make the revolving display glow, especially as daylight fades.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes to look at the building and the carousel, longer if you plan to ride. Check current opening hours and ride details before you go.
• Late afternoon and early evening are the best times, when the lights inside stand out against the sky.
• It sits right at the pier entrance, so you can combine it with a walk along the pier, the beach and Ocean Front Walk.
• Viewing the exterior is easy and costs nothing, and you can usually peek inside, but check whether rides are running that day.

See it on a quest

The Hippodrome is one stop on Superhero Support Team: Santa Monica, a self-guided walk through the area played on your phone. You reach the building on foot as part of a longer route, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers your whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.