A visitor center in Griffith Park and time capsule are planned for the Hollywood Sign, which turned 100 in 2023. (photo by Edwin Folven)

A Hollywood Sign visitor center and time capsule are top goals in 2024 for the Hollywood Sign Trust, which has added two new board members and plans to continue celebrating the sign’s significance following its centennial anniversary last year.

Hollywood Sign Trust chair Jeff Zarrinnam said both projects are in the formative stages. The public and the city will be involved in the process of determining where a visitor center could be located, as well as selecting what items would be included in a time capsule. The new board members, Ed Tom and Dana Pesce, will help guide the trust’s plans, Zarrinnam added.

“The big project is the visitor center. It is the next major project for the trust. That’s an ongoing agenda moving forward. The smaller project is a time capsule to celebrate the first 100 years of the Hollywood Sign. There is going to be public engagement on what we would like to put in the time capsule, [likely memorabilia],” Zarrinnam said.

Zarrinnam said the time capsule project has not been previously announced, and he expects it to take a “few months” for the public engagement process to begin. He encouraged people to visit hollywoodsign.org for updates.

The visitor center project was announced during the Hollywood Sign’s centennial anniversary and is a long-term initiative, Zarrinnam added. The trust is in the process of raising money for the visitor center and has been meeting with city officials on a potential site and logistics. The goal is to celebrate the sign’s history and educate people about the landmark, Zarrinnam said. The visitor center will be located in Griffith Park, potentially on the north side near Travel Town, he added.

“Were doing community outreach and working with the council office and Rec and Parks to figure out where this should be,” he added. “It’s a work in progress that is still in the preliminary stages.”

Zarrinnam said he is excited about the addition of Tom and Pesce to the board. Tom formerly served as director of operations at the Hollywood Bowl. Pesce is senior director, global head of real estate, strategy and planning at Netflix. The other members of the board are vice chair Marty Shelton, secretary Brian Lane and treasurer Jerold Neuman, as well as trustees Andrea Conant, chief of staff for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, 4th District; Stefanie Smith, acting superintendent of recreation and parks operation for the Griffith Region; and Darnell Tyler, director of real estate planning and community relations for NBC Universal Global Real Estate.

“The trust is a dedicated team of community leaders who donate their time and talent to preserve and protect the Hollywood Sign for generations to come, and we are thrilled to have Ed Tom and Dana Pesce join us on our mission,” Zarrinnam said. “The extensive interest and coverage celebrating the Hollywood Sign’s centennial last year underscored all that the sign symbolizes for people around the globe and we are all energized this year to look toward the future, including the highly anticipated visitor center as well as new iconic partnerships and community projects.”

The Hollywood Sign Trust is a nonprofit responsible for maintaining the sign and educating people about its historical and cultural significance. The Hollywood Sign was originally installed in 1923 as a billboard advertisement for the Hollywoodland real estate development. The trust has spearheaded revitalization efforts over the years, most recently in 2022 when a major renovation to prepare for the sign’s 100th anniversary occurred that included repainting the 40-foot-tall letters.

The Hollywood Sign visitor center would educate visitors about the history of the landmark. (photo by Edwin Folven)