Kids and the adults who remember the Dr. Seuss stories from their youth will be able to step right into the magical world of the beloved author this month as his books come to life in Santa Monica in a new pop-up experience.
“This is for people (ages) three to 93. Clearly children are going to love it because it’s vibrant, it’s colorful, and it’s beautiful. But because of the ubiquity of the Seuss stories throughout the years, parents and grandparents, anyone who grew up with those stories will enjoy it,” said Jonathan Sanford, chief operating officer of Kilburn Live, co-producers of The Dr. Seuss Experience. Kilburn Live is also the company behind The World of Barbie interactive attraction, which ran in Santa Monica earlier this year.
The immersive Dr. Seuss theatrical pop-up opens on Friday, Nov. 10 at Santa Monica Place and runs through the end of the year.
It’s made up of nine different spaces inspired by different Dr. Seuss books and guests can walk through through areas that were created straight out of the pages of the iconic children’s books.
“Each room is a take on the book with the central theme of that book being highlighted,” he said.
The walk-thru will include characters and landscapes from books like “The Cat in the Hat,” “Horton Hears a Who!,” “The Lorax” and others.
In the “Cat in the Hat” room, guests will meet the mischievous cat and the fish, the lone voice of reason, as they are pulled into the story.
“You will go into the room that is full of mess and disorganization and disarray and the fish from the book will be telling people ‘No, no, no, don’t do that,’ whereas the cat, and we have a live performer, is telling you to make a mess,” Sanford explained.
And get ready for a challenge in the “The Sneetches” room since that is an interactive mirror maze, while in “The Lorax” room people will walk through the Truffula Trees where kids can hop on swings and meet the Lorax, too.
People will also need to pay attention as they walk through a field of waist-high flowers in the “Horton Hears a Who!” room.
“The idea is that you’re listening to hear the Whos on those flowers. And several flowers actually do have sounds and if you listen carefully you will hear them,” he said.
Besides the walk-thru of the books, people will also see a Dr. Seuss art sculpture, a Dr. Seuss Museum with original artwork and books, along with a reading theater for guests to listen to Dr. Seuss stories.
The Dr. Seuss Experience
When: Various time slots starting at 10 a.m. Wednesdays-Sundays through Jan. 31, 2024
Where: Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica
Tickets: $31-$37 at losangeles.experienceseuss.com
