Cayton Children's Museum, Santa Monica

About Cayton Children's Museum

Cayton Children's Museum offers 21,000 square feet of hands-on, discovery-based exhibits where children ages 0 to 8 explore creativity and imagination through play. Visitors move between spaces including the Derfner Theater, art studios, and themed rooms designed for open-ended learning across cultures, languages, and abilities. The museum serves families seeking guided play experiences and creative expression, with group trips accommodated for large families and youth organizations. General admission runs Wednesday through Sunday, with tickets sold online on the venue's site. Admission is charged at four price points throughout the day. Families entering after 4 PM can access twilight admission at $12 walk-in or $10 online, a reduction from daytime rates. The museum sits in Santa Monica Place, steps from the Pacific Ocean. Details on hours, admission prices, and reservations appear at caytonmuseum.org.