Located in Downtown Santa Monica just blocks from the Pacific Ocean, the Cayton Childrens' Museum offers 21,000 square feet of discovery-based exhibits and immersive play. CMS Playful, stress-free parties—now with flexible times and pricing! We’re introducing new pricing and flexible time slots to make every celebration simple, joyful, and just right for your family. LEARN MORE Playing Our Way to a Better World Cayton Children's Museum is a nonprofit organization located in Santa Monica, California that activates the power of play to enrich the lives of children and their families, build stronger, more connected communities, and create a better world. Community Relief The Los Angeles wildfires have devastated communities in the Museum’s backyard, impacting many of our visitors, members, and supporters. The Cayton is committed to serving our community over the long haul. LEARN MORE Play It Forward Play it Forward with a donation that extends the Cayton's mission to bring joyful, transformative play experiences to children across Los Angeles. DONATE

Host your next celebration at the Cayton Children’s Museum! Located steps from the Pacific Ocean in vibrant Downtown Santa Monica, the Cayton offers 21,000 square feet of 20+ hands-on exhibits, play space, art studios, theater, a gallery pop-up space and community space—all in the center of retail and hospitality at Santa Monica Place. CELEBRATE AT THE CAYTON ABOUT THE DETAILS PARTY PACKAGES BUYOUTS AND FILMING FAQ PARTY RENTALS Party Rentals Host your next celebration at Cayton Children's Museum! Located steps from the Pacific Ocean, the Cayton offers 21,000 square feet of play space with hands-on exhibits, private party rooms, art studios, and a spacious theater—all in the center of retail and hospitality at Santa Monica Place. Looking to host an event? BOOK YOUR PARTY If you have any questions about the party booking process, please contact our event team at events@caytonmuseum.org or 424-416-8327 . THE DETAILS The Details We understand that every celebration is unique. That’s why you can choose from three party packages and a number of add-on services to create the party that’s best for your family. Our event team will work closely with you to create a customized package, connecting you with our network of preferred event vendors , including caterers, performers, artists, photographers, and more . With us, you can focus on enjoying your celebration, knowing that every detail is covered. For more information on package options and preferred event vendors, contact our event team at events@caytonmuseum.org . Availability Most parties are booked for two-hour time slots. Please contact us to inquire about extended time availability. Saturday and Sunday 9AM-11AM, 12PM-2PM, 3PM-5PM Catering Even if you don’t book our catering package, our team will work with you to create the perfect menu for your celebration from our list of preferred vendors! Parking Parking is available in Santa Monica’s public parking structures. The first 90 minutes are complementary. PARTY PACKAGES Party Packages Basic Room Rental ($750) Use of either the Brilliant Blue Room or Orange You Glad Room for 2 hours Full-day admission for up to 40 party guests (including your family!) 3 Kid Tables with 24 kid-sized chairs, 2 Adult Tables with 14 adult-sized chairs, two present tables, and one dessert table Ice water and cups provided Premium Room Rental ($999) Everything from the Basic Room Rental Package Tablecloths, napkins, and utensils provided in your choice of colors 1 Designated staff member to help you throughout your party Catering Package ($1200) Everything from the Premium Room Rental Package Choice of: 5 XL Pizzas and your choice of salad OR 1 Tray Chicken Tenders, 1 tray Mac n’Cheese, 1 Fruit Salad, and 1 Platter of 20 sandwiches (Turkey & Cheese, PB&J, or Cheddar Cheese) Add Ons Gift Bags – Party favors for your guests! – price varies by bag Honest Juice (32 juice boxes) - comes with a serving bowl and ice - $25 La Croix (24 cans) – comes with a serving bowl and ice - $15 Serving Bowl + Ice - $5 Tableware Package – Flatware, napkins, and tablecloths provided in your choice of colors (feel free to mix and match!) - $100 Cake Serving Supplies (knife, cutting board, cake server, gloves) - $15 1 Designated staff member (can help with set-up, clean-up, replenishing supplies, making announcements) - $150 Additional Guests - $25/person BUYOUTS AND FILMING Buyouts and Filming Private Party Rooms The S. Mark Taper Brilliant Blue Room and Orange Room seamlessly integrate with the Cayton play space, offering a unique combination of creativity and functionality. Designed to host a variety of special events, these versatile rooms each accommodate up to 40 guests and can be rented together for larger gatherings. Private Museum Buyout Booking the entire Cayton Children’s Museum for your event guarantees an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. A private museum buyout gives you exclusive use of the full space. FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Check out the FAQ page HERE

The Cayton Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization that is committed to making play available for all. Visit us today! plan your visit HOURS AND ADMISSION GROUP TRIPS EXPLORE OUR SPACE CAYTON EXPECTATIONS GETTING HERE ACCESSIBILITY FAQ HOURS & ADMISSION Hours and Admission Summer Hours Wednesday–Monday 10AM-5PM Member Early Access Wednesday–Monday 9AM–10AM Sensory-Friendly Hours Sunday 8:30AM-10AM General Admission General admission: Free for members and children under the age of 1 Daily entry from 10AM-4PM $18 walk-in / $16 online Twilight entry after 4PM $12 walk-in / $10 online Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-ins may experience a wait during peak hours. Capacity limited daily. Members have priority walk-in entry. BOOK TICKETS Closed on the following holidays in 2025: Jan 1 (New Year's Day) Nov 28 (Thanksgiving) Dec 25 (Christmas) Annual Members Annual membership starts at $240 for an adult and a child. Members are free to come anytime during museum operating hours and receive priority entry and expedited check-in. We encourage visitors who enjoy the museum with frequency to explore their options for purchasing a membership. As a member, you won’t just save while you play all year long—you will also have access to a bunch of other cool perks! BECOME A MEMBER Special Museum Open Days in 2025: Jan 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) *Subject to change PLAY4ALL Pass Holders For those families experiencing financial hardship, the Cayton offers a year-long PLAY4ALL membership for $27.50. Households receiving Medi-Cal/Medicaid, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), CalWorks (TANF), or CalFresh (Food Stamps) are eligible. For visitors who qualify, passes can be activated by presenting proof of eligibility at the museum check-in desk upon first visit. LEARN MORE Peak Hours Peak hours vary and may occur on weekends, holidays, and rainy days. GROUP TRIPS Group Trips Are you ready to bring the whole play crew to the Cayton? Whether you are a large family or an awesome youth group—we are the ideal space for kids ages 0–8. With our discovery-based exhibits and experiences, your group will be immersed in creativity and exploration. Join us at the Cayton and play your way to a better world! LEARN MORE Explore Our Space Explore Our Space Ready to see the Power of Play? The Cayton offers 21,000 square feet of discovery - based exhibits, from a real-life helicopter to a miniature marketplace to reactive VR - and so much more. Add on art studios, a state-of-the-art theatre, and adaptable community spaces: you and your child can experience the Cayton differently every time. EXPLORE OUR SPACE VISITOR AGREEMENTS Cayton Community Expectations The Cayton Children’s Museum is a special shared space for families. To ensure that everyone is safe, comfortable and able to play, we ask that our visitors follow a few basic rules. Arrival Drop-offs are not allowed. All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult (and all adults must be accompanied by children) while visiting the museum. To ensure that all our guests have a great experience, the Cayton requires at least one (1) chaperone for every five (5) children. Children must always be supervised by their adults. Some exhibits have age restrictions, please be mindful of signage throughout the museum. Please be aware of our current health protocols . Please follow directions from the Cayton Play Guides and staff Cayton Children's Museum is a safe space for children. No knives, firearms, or weapon-like objects of any kind are permitted on the museum's premises. Please store any of these objects off-premises prior to entering the reception area. When Inside Disruptive, disrespectful and/or abusive behavior may result in immediate removal from the museum without refund and may be grounds for revoking membership. We encourage walking instead of running. Each exhibit may have signage reflecting special conduct (i.e., no shoes, age restrictions, etc.). If you have any questions about these restrictions, please inquire with one of our team members. Strollers are not allowed in the museum. We do provide a stroller parking zone for guests, underwritten by Babyletto . Please do not leave your valuables in the stroller. Please be mindful of your belongings. The Cayton Children’s Museum is not responsible for any lost or missing items. Please be mindful of other visitors in the space when taking photos of your family. Visitors may be filmed, recorded or photographed by the Cayton Children’s Museum for educational and promotional uses. Please inform the front desk staff if you would prefer not to be photographed. You may review our privacy policy here . Our staff is here to help while you and your family are in our venue. Please respect them. We won't tolerate any yelling, intimidation, threats, swearing, or any other inappropriate behavior. Anyone who is aggressive toward staff or other guests will be asked to leave. For the health and safety of all our visitors, smoking is strictly prohibited throughout the museum. This includes e-cigarettes and vaping. When Leaving Please remember to collect all your belongings. The Cayton Children’s Museum is not responsible for items left behind. Any “Lost & Found” items should be turned in to Guest Services. We encourage you to reach out to us with any questions, comments and suggestions you might have after your visit. You can do this in person, over the phone or via email at info@caytonmuseum.org . We may send you a follow-up survey to ask about your visit. Most importantly, we hope you enjoyed your visit! GETTING HERE Getting Here Where is the Cayton? You can find the Cayton Children’s Museum in Downtown Santa Monica. We are located on the 3rd level of Santa Monica Place off of 4th Street & Broadway. 395 Santa Monica Place, #374 Santa Monica, CA, 90401 Call 424-416-8320 Email info@caytonmuseum.org Take the Metro Take the Metro Expo Line and exit at Downtown Santa Monica, which is the last stop on the line. You’ll end up on Colorado and 4th. You can find Santa Monica Place on the opposite corner. For more information about going Metro, click here . Parking Parking is available in Structures 7 and 8, owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica, which are immediately adjacent to Santa Monica Place. The first 90 minutes are free, with a fee after that. Please note, we do not validate. To see a map showing S7 and S8, click here . Easy access and Disability parking are available in parking structure 8 off of Colorado Ave, on Level 5, as well as parking structure 7 off of Broadway on Level 4. Elevators are available close to the Mall entrance on all levels in the parking lots. Driving Directions From I-10 W: Take exit 1A for 4th Street. Turn right onto 4th and left onto Colorado. Santa Monica Place will be on your right. ACCESSIBILITY Accessibility The Cayton Children’s Museum meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Here, accessibility means more than compliance with federal law. We are committed to making our Museum a rich and rewarding experience for all individuals. Wheelchair Access The entire museum is wheelchair accessible, including all bathrooms and water fountains. Handicapped-accessible parking is available in the Santa Monica Place parking garage. Santa Monica Place also offers complimentary wheelchair loans upon request. To arrange, please call security at 310-260-8399 . Restrooms And Changing Tables Family restrooms are located near the ballpit or to your left of the security checkpoint. Additional restrooms are located in the back of the museum near the art studio. Changing tables are located in the wheelchair-accessible stalls in each restroom. Health regulations require that all diaper changing be done in restrooms. Service Animals The Cayton Children’s Museum welcomes service animals. Under federal law, service animals are dogs trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of people with physical or mental disabilities. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler’s disability. Additionally, service animals must remain under their handler’s control at all times while inside the museum. Dogs or any other type of animal or pet whose sole function is to provide comfort, companionship or emotional support — such as a support animal — do NOT qualify as service animals under federal law and are not permitted in the Museum. Nursing Areas Mothers are welcome to nurse children wherever they feel comfortable at the Cayton. However, there are two designated areas in the Lounge that provide more privacy, if preferred. Cayton Children’s Museum Staff Cayton Children’s Museum staff receives ongoing professional development to offer visitors with disabilities and their families enhanced support. Please ask a Cayton staff member for assistance. We Want To Hear From You The Cayton is eager to hear about new ways to serve the children in our community, and we welcome your feedback, suggestions, questions or concerns. Please share your thoughts with us at info@caytonmuseum.org . Frequently Asked Questions Check out the FAQ page HERE FAQ