BARNUM HALL

601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Barnum Hall’s design goes way beyond those of a traditional high school theatre. Originally built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, it was designed by the firm of Marsh, Smith & Powell to be a cultural center to the Santa Monica community, hosting concerts, plays, musicals, even opera, ballet, and guest solo artists. A classic model of Public Works Administration streamline moderne style, the structure bears all the hallmarks of a style associated with steamships and deco movie theaters: rounded corners, horizontal banding and porthole-like windows in the front doors. Even the side walls of the chairs are stamped with the name of the school in a Moderne typeface.

The 3/19 Wurlitzer was donated Gordon Belt and restored by Ken Crome and Crome Organ Company. Henry Hunt worked tirelessly to coordinate the donation and installation. The design and tonal finishing of the instrument was carried out under the direction of Lyn Larsen, and the organ debuted in 2010 in a gala concert featuring Lance Luce. The organ was constructed from several different instruments from Southern California.

Visit the Barnum Hall website.

This organ is not owned or maintained by LATOS.