Macerich to add children’s museum at Santa Monica (Calif.) Place

Set to open late this year, the museum’s larger location is expected to draw 250,000 visitors annually and will occupy about 20,000 square feet at Santa Monica Place, in downtown Santa Monica, adjacent to the Third Street Promenade and near the iconic Santa Monica Pier. The Zimmer Children’s Museum offers a progressive array of classes and public programs each week in arts, music and movement, cross-cultural exchange, school readiness, early-childhood education and languages. 

“This innovative use of space at our high-performing, award-winning Santa Monica Place is part of how we are redefining what a sophisticated retail property brings to the community,” said Macerich Chairman and CEO Arthur M. Coppola. “Adding compelling new experiences to our top properties is a focus we’re delivering on at Macerich. The Zimmer Children’s Museum by ShareWell is a fantastic fit for Santa Monica Place and enhances the cultural dimensions of this one-of-a-kind destination.”

Bringing the Zimmer Children’s Museum to downtown Santa Monica offers significant partnership and creative programming opportunities for Santa Monica Place retailers and key organizations in this culturally vibrant community, Coppola says.

The museum will bring in expert exhibit designers and award-winning architects to design the space, with initial renderings to be issued soon.

“At ShareWell, through our children’s museum and youth leadership initiative, we build community and encourage kids and youth to find their voices in making a difference," said Esther Netter, CEO of Zimmer Children’s Museum by ShareWell. "Partnering with Macerich is a step forward for our children’s museum as a cultural institution.”  

Santa Monica Place is anchored by Barneys New York, Bloomingdale’s, DVF, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, dozens more shops and restaurants and entertainment experiences, including Sonoma Wine Garden, The Cheesecake Factory, True Food Kitchen and ArcLight Cinemas.