Church of Scientology, Los Angeles
The Church of Scientology Los Angeles. Photo
Matthew Field.
View of the building from Sunset Blvd. Photo
Clinton Steeds.
Large billboard advertising Dianetics outside the Church of Scientology.
Photo
Kent Kanouse.
View from L. Ron Hubbard Way, with Dianetics center on the right. Photo
Kent Kanouse.
Sign for the Scientology Celebrity Centre. Photo
StretchWickster.
Scientology offices nearby on Hollywood Blvd. Photo
Kim F.
Sign for the L. Ron Hubbard exhibition on Hollywood Blvd. Photo
pyrogenic.
Entrance to the L. Ron Hubbard exhibition. Photo
Cory Doctorow.
Location map and aerial view of Church of Scientology. For a larger interactive view, see our Los Angeles Map.
The Church of Scientology in Los Angeles was the first Scientology church, founded in 1954. Housed in a former hospital building off Sunset Boulevard, it remains the most important Scientology church among about 3,000 worldwide.
History
The Church of Scientology in Los Angeles opened on February 18, 1954, with the goal of spreading the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. It gradually moved to larger and larger buildings to accommodate its congregation. It moved to its present location in 1978.
Today, the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles is one of the largest Scientology churches. Church executives-in-training serve as apprentices at the LA church before taking leadership positions in Scientology centers around the world.
What to See
Located between Sunset Blvd and Fountain Avenue in Hollywood, the Church of Scientology Los Angeles is housed in a large pale-blue building that was formerly the Cedars of Lebanon hospital. The Church successfully campaigned the city of Los Angeles to rename a street running along the east side of the complex L. Ron Hubbard Way, after the Scientology founder.
The Church of Scientology headquarters provides the famous personality and IQ tests as well as introductory and basic courses on Scientology principles, lectures, introductory films, Dianetics workshops, introductory auditing, Life Improvement courses, special courses for children and other basic courses. These courses are intended to offer "practical answers to the problems of life."
The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles has 34 Auditing rooms. The central practice of Scientology, Auditing involves discussing past traumas and problems with an Auditor in an effort to move past them and achieve emotional health. It also incorporates a Purification Rundown Center, which aims to free people from addictions to drugs and other toxins through exercise machines, saunas, and a vitamin bar.
Many other Scientology institutions are headquartered in the area, including:
- Bridge Publications, Scientology's publishing arm for the United States and Canada
- Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre, catering to arts professionals
- Offices of the Church of Scientology International in a multi-story building on Hollywood Boulevard, with a public exhibition on the life of L. Ron Hubbard
- Headquarters of Author Services, Inc. (Hubbard's literary agency)
- Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which administers social programs based on Hubbard's writings, including Narconon (for addiction recovery) and Applied Scholastics (for learning disabilities like Tom Cruise's dyslexia)
- World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE), which promotes Hubbard's business management techniques and facilitates a network of Scientology-related businesses
- Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a Scientology-affiliated group against the alleged abuses of psychiatry, which includes a museum called "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death"
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | Church of Scientology; Church of Scientology LA; Pacific Area Command Base; PAC Base |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Faith: | Scientology |
| Status: | active |
| Date: | Founded 1954; moved to present location 1978 |
| Architecture: | Modern |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 34.096613° N, 118.294505° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | 4810 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027 USA |
| Phone: | 323-953-3200 |
| Website: | www.scientology-losangeles.org |
| E-mail: | losangeles@scientology.net |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri 9am-10pm Sat-Sun 9am-6pm |
| Cost: | Free (at first) |
| Photography: | Prohibited |
Travel Resources
- Los Angeles Map - our detailed interactive map of Los Angeles, plus hand-picked links to more
- Los Angeles Guided Tours - book sightseeing tours and activities in Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, then book at the guaranteed lowest rate
- Los Angeles Hostels - reserve budget lodgings with no booking fees
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- Los Angeles Flight Search - compare multiple travel sites to find the lowest airfare to Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Restaurant Reviews - the best places to eat in town
- Los Angeles Travel Forum - tips, answers and advice on Los Angeles tourism
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Church of Scientology of Los Angeles - official website
- Church of Scientology: PAC Base, Hollywood, California - Wikipedia (accessed April 2009)
More Information
- What is Scientology? - official website providing information about the group
- Church of Scientology - ReligionFacts - general information from a neutral perspective
- Xenu.net - the most popular of many websites warning against Scientology as a cult
Article last updated: 10/25/2009.
