Sony Pictures Studio Tour — Attraction in Culver City

The Sony Pictures Studio Tour in Culver City offers a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a real, functioning film and television studio. Located in the heart of the historic Culver City, California, the tour is a popular attraction for movie buffs, fans of television shows, and anyone interested in the entertainment industry.

The tour typically includes a visit to various sound stages, the sets of current television shows and movies (when available), and a walk through the studio’s rich history, showcasing its origins as MGM Studios. Visitors often get to see the stages where classic films were shot and hear stories about the studio’s famous productions and stars.

One of the highlights for many visitors is the display dedicated to "Ghostbusters." Sony Pictures, owning the rights to the "Ghostbusters" franchise, has created a special exhibit that showcases memorabilia, props, costumes, and vehicles from the "Ghostbusters" films. This display offers fans a closer look at the iconic ghost-catching gear, including the proton packs, the ghost trap, and the Ecto-1 car. The exhibit provides insights into the making of the movies, the special effects used, and the legacy of the "Ghostbusters" series.

The exact contents of the tour, including the "Ghostbusters" display, can vary depending on the studio's current productions and schedules. It's always a good idea to check the official Sony Pictures Studio Tour website or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information about what is included in the tour and any special exhibits that might be featured during your visit.

Please note that all tours and exhibits are subject to change, and there might be age restrictions or other requirements for tour participants. Advance booking is highly recommended as tours can sell out quickly, especially during peak...

I don't think it's worth it. The tour lasts a couple hours, and we were around 50 people with one guide, who walked us around. We first went to the museum, where there are original props from thing like Breaking Bad, Spider Man, Man in Black, and a Seinfeld set. There is one original Oscar statue that you can hold and take a picture with, but the gold has faded from the many people touching it. It is interesting to see, but the number of props is limited (you can see it all in 10 minutes) and there's nothing truly informative about the shows or how the props were made. Then we spend 10 (or 15?) minutes watching a movie about Sony Studios history, which had the same information of the first lines of the Wikipedia page and nothing more than that. Then we were walked to a giant empty stage, where we were told how many amazing movies were filmed there and a few fun anecdotes. However, it was just a very very big empty room, while I had thought I might had the chance to see an actual stage. I found it pointless to spend 15 minutes describing how many amazing things had been done there, but without the chance of actually seeing anything. Then we went through the Jeopardy and the Wheel of Fortune stages, which was nice. At the same time, being in the audience at these shows is free and probably much more fun that seeing the empty stages... Then we went to the sound stage, where we were told "fun anecdotes" about famous directors bullying workers and players... which was not fun. At the end, we were brought to see cars from famous movies and shows parked there, then we were brought to the store, and that was it. Our tour guide was nice and prepared, but I found the tour itself a bit boring and pointless. It's cheaper than other studio tours (55$), but I wound not...

We did both the Sony and Warner Brothers studio tours. Both had their + / -

We liked the Sony tour a little more as the Warner Brothers tour seemed not as intimate as they just drove large groups on carts around the lot seeing the outside of different buildings. Our Sony tour guide was amazing, taking us inside lots of areas - large studio buildings, recording studios, Jeopardy Set and answering lots of our questions. Plus, our tour guide just happened to be teen 80s/90s movie star Keith Coogan ("Adventures in Babysitting)! If you go on the tour and can see when Keith Mitchell (his real name) is leading tours, I highly recommend going with him.

The negative with Sony, was that you go to see one area where they had props from movies and the Seinfeld set, but you only got to be there for about 10 minutes. The same for the gift shop. This felt very rushed. As for Warner Brothers, their prop area and interactive section after the guided tour is way better. If you like Harry Potter, Friends, Big Bang Theory, DC Comics, etc, you will love this area at Warner Brothers and you get to spend as much time as you want here.

In the end, we were glad we went on both tours since both had great things to see. So, if you have the time and $$, go see both. And if you go on the Sony tour -...