Children’s Museum Names New President

The Children’s Museum of Los Angeles has named Sally J. Thompson its new president and chief executive, officials announced Monday.

Thompson, who previously worked at a nonprofit foundation that helped musicians with financial needs, was brought in to oversee significant changes for the museum--including the relocation of its facilities to a yet-undisclosed location.

“We needed someone to redirect our vision,” said museum spokeswoman Elissa Glickman. She said the board elected Thompson because she had “created somewhat of a legacy” at institutions in which she had worked before.

The museum’s home for 20 years has been at 310 Main St. in downtown Los Angeles, although the board has been in negotiations to move for the past three to four years, Glickman said.

“We’ve really outgrown our facilities,” she said.

A number of sites are under consideration--two in downtown Los Angeles and two elsewhere in the city.

The board plans to make a decision about a new site within the next four months, she said.

The museum, which caters to children ages 2 to 12, has had 4.5 million visitors since its opening in 1979.