Large white soundstage building behind palm trees on a sunny studio lot in Burbank

Where Was The Big Bang Theory Filmed?

The sitcom's apartments and labs lived on a Burbank soundstage, but Pasadena played a starring role outdoors.

Check availabilitySee every location

The Short Answer

The Big Bang Theory was filmed mainly on soundstages at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, especially Stage 25, which hosted the apartments, hallway, elevator, Cheesecake Factory, and comic book store sets across all 12 seasons. Exterior and establishing shots used real locations in and around Pasadena, including the Caltech campus.

Running from 2007 to 2019 across 279 episodes, the show kept almost everything under one roof. The production built apartment 4A and 4B, the infamous broken elevator, the Cheesecake Factory, and the Caltech lab on a single soundstage for efficiency, and filmed there for its entire run.

Pasadena still mattered. The city declared a Big Bang Theory Day in 2016 and named an alley Big Bang Theory Way, and fans can walk several of the real spots that appeared on screen or inspired the show's fictional versions.

Every Location At A Glance

LocationWhereWhat was filmedAccess
Warner Bros. Studios Burbank Stage 25BurbankAll major interior sets including apartments 4A/4B, hallway, elevator, Cheesecake Factory, Caltech lab/cafeteria, comic book store across all 12 seasonsTicketed
Caltech campusPasadenaExterior establishing shots and campus cutaways for Caltech scenesFree to see
215 South Madison Ave rooftopPasadenaRooftop used for Bernadette and Howard's wedding scene with Google Earth satellite overhead (composited/aerial view)Private property
Bowlmor Pasadena (formerly 300 Bowling)PasadenaBowling alley scenes including in 'The Scavenger Vortex'Free to see
Lucky Baldwin's PubPasadenaReferenced and used in 'The Irish Pub Formulation'Free to see
Griffith ObservatoryLos AngelesObservatory scenes and exteriors in multiple episodesFree to see
Comics FactoryPasadenaInspired Stuart's Comic Center; referenced via fake store website near Caltech/PCCFree to see
Malibu Hindu TempleCalabasasHindu temple visited by Raj and Howard in 'The Space Probe Disintegration'Free to see

Filming Locations Map

8 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Warner Bros. Studios Burbank Stage 25, Burbank
Location 01

Warner Bros. Studios Burbank Stage 25

California, Burbank Ticketed

Filmed here: All major interior sets including apartments 4A/4B, hallway, elevator, Cheesecake Factory, Caltech lab/cafeteria, comic book...

Every major interior across all 12 seasons was built and shot here: apartments 4A and 4B, the hallway, the elevator, the Cheesecake Factory, the Caltech lab and cafeteria, and the comic book store. After the series ended, the stage was officially renamed The Big Bang Theory Stage, one of only five Warner Bros. stages so honored. It is included on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, with photo opportunities featuring sets and props. Access is by ticket only.

Caltech campus, Pasadena
Location 02

Caltech campus

California, Pasadena Free to see

Filmed here: Exterior establishing shots and campus cutaways for Caltech scenes

The real Caltech in Pasadena stood in for the fictional workplace of Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard. The campus appears in exterior establishing shots and cutaways, and the Athenaeum faculty club also features in exteriors. It is a public campus, open to visitors during campus hours, so fans can wander the grounds and recognize the walkways and buildings glimpsed between scenes throughout the series.

215 South Madison Ave rooftop, Pasadena
Location 03

215 South Madison Ave rooftop

California, Pasadena Private property

Filmed here: Rooftop used for Bernadette and Howard's wedding scene with Google Earth satellite overhead (composited/aerial view)

This private Pasadena rooftop was the setting for Bernadette and Howard's wedding scene, complete with a Google Earth satellite view composited overhead, with visual effects used to obscure the exact location. There is no public access to the roof itself. Visitors can view the building from street level in Pasadena, which is close to the Old Town area and other filming locations from the show.

Bowlmor Pasadena (formerly 300 Bowling), Pasadena
Location 04

Bowlmor Pasadena (formerly 300 Bowling)

California, Pasadena Free to see

Filmed here: Bowling alley scenes including in 'The Scavenger Vortex'

The bowling alley scenes, including those in the episode The Scavenger Vortex, were shot at this real Pasadena venue. The on-screen coordinates shown in that episode actually match the real building. It operates today as Bowlero Pasadena and remains open to the public, so fans can bowl on the same lanes that appeared in the show.

Lucky Baldwin's Pub, Pasadena
Location 05

Lucky Baldwin's Pub

California, Pasadena Free to see

Filmed here: Referenced and used in 'The Irish Pub Formulation'

This Irish pub in Old Town Pasadena was referenced and used in the episode The Irish Pub Formulation. It is still operating and open to the public, making it one of the easiest stops for fans exploring Pasadena on foot. Old Town's walkable blocks also put visitors near several other spots tied to the series.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
Location 06

Griffith Observatory

California, Los Angeles Free to see

Filmed here: Observatory scenes and exteriors in multiple episodes

The observatory and its surrounding park in Los Angeles appear in scenes and exteriors across multiple episodes. Admission to the grounds and exhibits is free, and the site pairs easily with a Los Angeles itinerary since it sits in Griffith Park. Visitors get both a filming location and one of the city's best known viewpoints over the basin.

Comics Factory, Pasadena
Location 07

Comics Factory

California, Pasadena Free to see

Filmed here: Inspired Stuart's Comic Center; referenced via fake store website near Caltech/PCC

This real Pasadena comic book store inspired Stuart's Comic Center in the show and was referenced through a fake store website tied to the area near Caltech and PCC. It remains a public, operating shop. Fans of the show's running comic store scenes can browse the aisles of the store that helped inspire them.

Malibu Hindu Temple, Calabasas
Location 08

Malibu Hindu Temple

California, Calabasas Free to see

Filmed here: Hindu temple visited by Raj and Howard in 'The Space Probe Disintegration'

The temple in Calabasas, visited by Raj and Howard in the episode The Space Probe Disintegration, is a public religious site open to visitors. Its distinctive architecture makes it recognizable from the episode. It sits a drive west of Pasadena and Los Angeles, so it suits travelers with a car who want the deeper cuts of the show's location list.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The show is set in Pasadena, California, with constant references to Caltech and JPL. Filming, however, happened primarily at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, with real Pasadena exteriors and establishing shots standing in for the fictional world. The distinction matters for visitors: Pasadena offers the recognizable outdoor spots, while Burbank holds the actual sets.

The Studio Side

Warner Bros. Studios Burbank is the production home of the series, and it is visitable through the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. Stage 25 was renamed The Big Bang Theory Stage after the finale. Fun production detail: Howard's space station scenes used a replica set rented from a Kansas museum, combined with aerospace parts and platform supports to simulate weightlessness, all filmed on a Burbank soundstage.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Two bookable options cover the studio where the series was shot. Both take visitors into Warner Bros. Studios Burbank, where sets and props from the show appear on the tour.

Los Angeles Departure Studio Tour

Los Angeles: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

With a 4.6 rating from 8,721 reviews, this is the popular pick for standing inside the world of the apartments and comic book store.

4.6 out of 5 · 8,721 reviewsLos Angeles

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Studio Tour With Big Bang Sets

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Walk the soundstage complex where Stage 25 was renamed for the show, with photo ops among the original sets and props.

4.6 out of 5 · 5,668 reviewsLos Angeles

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Visit The Big Bang Theory Set?

Yes. The sets are part of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank, which includes photo opportunities with sets and props from the series on the lot where it was filmed.

Where Is Sheldon And Leonard's Apartment Building In Real Life?

The apartment interiors, hallway, and elevator were built on Stage 25 at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. The exterior of the building was never a real Pasadena apartment; establishing shots of Pasadena stood in for the neighborhood.

Is The Cheesecake Factory In The Show Real?

The Cheesecake Factory scenes were filmed on a soundstage set at Warner Bros. Studios, not in a real restaurant. The chain exists, but the version seen on screen was a studio build.

Can You Walk Around Caltech Like The Characters?

Yes. The Caltech campus in Pasadena is public and open during campus hours. Fans can see the grounds and buildings used for exterior establishing shots, plus the Athenaeum faculty club featured in exteriors.

Why Was Stage 25 Renamed?

After the series ended in 2019, Warner Bros. officially renamed Stage 25 The Big Bang Theory Stage. It is one of only five stages on the lot to receive that honor.

Was The Elevator Ever Working?

The broken elevator was a running gag built into the set on Stage 25, where it stayed out of order for the show's entire 12-season, 279-episode run.

Pasadena and Burbank sit about twenty minutes apart by car, so a single day can cover both halves of the show: a studio tour among the real sets in the morning, then a self-guided walk past Caltech, Lucky Baldwin's Pub, and the Comics Factory in the afternoon. Griffith Observatory and the Malibu Hindu Temple reward travelers with extra time.

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