Santa Monica’s Newly Opened Heal the Bay Museum Charts Pollution’s Path

Plenty of museums have paintings of sea life, and a few may have a stuffed sea lion, too.

But only the Heal the Bay Museum in Santa Monica has these, plus a mural of the underwater world that visitors can help paint, a map that shows the sources of pollution at their favorite beach, and specimens of sea life that have vanished from Santa Monica Bay.

The museum opened last month on the second level of Santa Monica Place, the mall bounded by Colorado Avenue, Broadway and 2nd and 4th streets. With waves painted on the walls and blue and green canopies hanging from the ceiling, the space has a decided underwater feel. At 100 feet by 30 feet, it is about the size of the oceans’ biggest creature, the blue whale.

Several exhibits tell the story of the decline of Santa Monica Bay and nearby waters due to pollution. Gone, say Heal the Bay officials, are giant kelp beds, starfish, sand dollars, abalone and a variety of birds and fish. A 1980 government report concluded that some of the remaining fish were so polluted that eating one could expose a person to as much toxic chemicals as normally would be ingested in a lifetime.

Despite the grim message, the tone of the museum remains playful. A deep-sea diver sways from the ceiling and the sound of surf fills the room.

The interior was designed by volunteer Zofia Kostyrko of Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale. Kostyrko was art director of a team that won an Emmy this year for work on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.”

Director of the museum is Jamie Simons, a Disney writer who also is on the Heal the Bay staff. Simons has arranged a series of events for children at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, including storytelling, sand painting and a tank of sea life that can be touched.

For adults, she has scheduled several marine experts to speak periodically and has put together a collection of marine-related videos that play continuously in the rear of the museum.

Mall management, which donated space for the project through the end of September, also has remade the large sand castle on the mall’s ground level to fit the ocean theme. Alice in Wonderland figures have given way to sea lions, walruses and the like.

Exhibiting artwork in the museum are Don McMichael, who is noted for his paintings of whales, and sea life artist Chick Bragg. A merchandise counter offers posters of their work, along with shirts, coffee cups and other items.

Dorothy Green, president of 2,000-member Heal the Bay, said the nonprofit group hopes to raise funds for a variety of projects.

“One thing we’d like is an in-house technical expert to help with all the complicated issues that come out of the pollution problem,” she said. “We’d also like to do more work with government agencies. There are 14 entities monitoring things in the bay, and they don’t coordinate with each other very well.”

Heal the Bay Museum, Santa Monica Place, second level near The Broadway, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Admission free. (213) 393-3071.