Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society: The World's Oldest Fan Club

Los Angeles, California, United States

By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published Fri, Aug 28, 2026

Why it’s cool

This historic organization has served as a creative hub for icons like Ray Bradbury since 1934. It remains the oldest continuously operating science fiction and fantasy society on the planet.

West Coast Historic

Three people in tan coats wear homemade Ghostbusters-style proton packs made from laundry detergent boxes and hoses.

Every Thursday evening, a dedicated community of genre enthusiasts gathers to discuss the frontiers of imagination. Another local spot for fans of the fantastical is The Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

Known as LASFS, this group represents the longest running science fiction and fantasy society in existence. It began in 1934 as part of Hugo Gernsback's Science Fiction League before evolving into an independent powerhouse of fandom. ## Why It Stands Out The society boasts a roster of former members that reads like a hall of fame for speculative fiction.

Legends such as Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, and L. Ron Hubbard once frequented these meetings.

Beyond its famous alumni, the group has exerted real world influence on pop culture. In the late 1960s, the society organized the massive letter writing campaign that successfully convinced NBC to keep Star Trek on the air.

Their influence even extended to the FBI, which once monitored the group for potential political subversion during the McCarthy era. Today, the tradition continues with a library of over 20,000 items and a unique set of internal traditions.

Their motto, De Profundis Ad Astra, translates to From the Depths to the Stars. The futuristic design of the Chemosphere also evokes this fascination with the stars.

This spirit is reflected in their bylaws, including the infamous Rule 0 which states that even death does not release a member from the group. ## Before You Go While the society historically maintained its own clubhouse, they are currently in a transitional phase regarding their physical location. Meetings typically occur on Thursday nights and often include guest speakers, auctions, or screenings of vintage serials.

The preservation of classic media is also a focus at Screen Novelties. Prospective members can attend their first three meetings for free.

If the main meeting feels too formal, many attendees head to the Coral Cafe afterward for a more casual dinner and conversation.

Questions worth answering

When can I drop in for a meeting?

Thursday nights are the standard time for these gatherings. The schedule often includes guest speakers or screenings of old serials.

Where is the club located?

The group is currently in a transitional phase without a permanent clubhouse. You should check their website for the specific spot they are using this week.

Is there a fee to attend for the first time?

Newcomers get their first three visits for free. If you want a more casual experience, follow the crowd to Coral Cafe for dinner afterward.

What is the significance of the group's history?

They started in 1934 and once counted Ray Bradbury among their members. The FBI even monitored them during the McCarthy era due to their influence.

Visit Snapshot

The society meets every Thursday night. They currently do not have a permanent clubhouse, so you must check their official website for the latest meeting location.

New visitors are welcome and receive their first three meetings for free before dues are required.

Location

Los Angeles, California

Know before you go

LASFS currently does not have a fixed address. See the club's website for current meeting locations.

Editorial source

Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society

Every Thursday night, scores of science fiction and fantasy fans gather for the weekly meeting of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. As the world's oldest continuously meeting science fiction and fantasy society and one of only a handful that have a designated clubhouse, LASFS (pronounced Loss-Fuss or Lass-Fass) is not your average fan club.

LASFS began in 1934, as a charter group of Hugo Gernsback's Science Fiction League. Gernsback, editor of the prominent science fiction magazine Wonder Stories, created the League so that magazine fans from across the country could correspond with each other.

By 1940, the Los Angeles charter had split with the failing Science Fiction League. Led by a young Forrest J.

Ackerman (founder of the Ackermansion and perhaps sci-fi's greatest spokesperson), the group established its own identity: the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. Since its inception, the society has had a number of notable members including Golden Age authors A.

E. van Vogt and Ross Rocklynne, sci-fi moguls Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen, and even Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Today, contemporary writers such as Larry Niven and Steven Barnes are known to attend meetings. LASFS is also responsible for the founding of two major science fiction and fantasy conventions, Loscon and Westercon.

In fact, LASFS is such a powerful force in fandom that during the McCarthy era the FBI placed an undercover agent in the society to monitor Communist influence in "fannish" subcultures. Later, in 1968, the society flexed its fanboy muscles and helped save Star Trek from cancellation through a national letter writing campaign directed at NBC executives.

As one would expect of a fan club as reputable as LASFS, the society has its own motto which is echoed in their coat of arms: De Profundis Ad Astra or "From the Depths to the Stars." LASFSians even have their own rules and bylaws, some serious and some silly, such as Rule 0: "Death will not release you." Perhaps most importantly, the society has had its own clubhouse since the 1970s. This luxury has allowed them a reliable meeting place, a home to their extensive library, as well as a means to inspire the creation of various subgroups.

In 1977, the first Japanese anime fan club, Cartoon/Fantasy Organization, held its first meeting at the LASFS headquarters. While past society activities included publishing mimeographed fanzines and group outings to scientific lectures, typical meetings today feature guest speakers and auctions of science fiction items.

And if you're lucky, the video librarian will share an obscure 1950s serial just before the meeting. Members are also encouraged to arrive to meetings early for the Neverending Panel, a weekly forum for fan-submitted discussion topics.

The subject matter of these conversations can range from the best sci-fi death scenes, to Enterprise vs. Galactica, and even "how society would adapt to sex changes if they were as easy as changing your hair color." Newcomers are welcome at LASFS, but should expect to be formally introduced to the group.

The first three meetings are free and after that members are required to pay dues. In exchange, any society member is allowed to borrow from the LASFS library, which boasts more than 20,000 volumes of sci-fi and fantasy books, magazines, audio and video tapes.

For the shy ones, the "aftermeeting" dinners at nearby Coral Cafe offer a more intimate environment to socialize with LASFS regulars.