The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Ocean Theater has transformed into a brand-new immersive experience that opens on September 4, making it the first HoloTheater® on the U.S. West Coast. Developed by BASE Xperiential, a live entertainment and media company based in Houston, Texas, the HoloTheater® installation uses six projection surfaces in a custom-designed theater to bring creatures, their environments, and stories to life.

The new space combines panoramic projection, holographic imagery, and spatial audio, allowing up to 132 guests to get an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the ecosystems of past and present. No glasses, VR headsets, or other wearable technology is required to experience the films in 3-D.

The new HoloTheater® is opening with Dinosaur Discoveries: A Holographic Adventure, where dinosaurs appear to come alive on a stage in front of the screen. This twenty five-minute film produced by BASE Xperiential in partnership with Paquin Entertainment Group, and distributed in collaboration with MacGillivray Freeman Films, transports audiences across prehistoric landscapes to encounter some of the most extraordinary creatures to ever walk the Earth. It is an educational journey that tells the evolving story of paleontological discoveries and scientific revelations that gave us what we know today about these remarkable creatures.

“We are looking forward to having the first HoloTheater® experience on the West Coast as a new immersive experience for our guests. We hope they leave inspired to learn more about ocean animals that lived on our planet at the same time as dinosaurs and are still with us today from sea jellies to sharks,” said Nicole Meek, Aquarium of the Pacific senior director of visitor operations.

Multiple HoloTheater® shows will run daily at the Aquarium, and tickets can be purchased with Aquarium admission on-site or in advance online. Later this fall, Ocean Giants Revealed will debut in the Aquarium’s HoloTheater®, where guests can submerge themselves into the world of the deep sea where few have traveled and witness the beauty and diversity of marine species both past and present, including whales, sea jellies, megalodon, and other prehistoric sea creatures.

“HoloTheater® was created to transform how audiences experience stories,” said Brian Becker, founder and CEO of BASE Xperiential. “Partnering with Aquarium of the Pacific allows us to bring our methodology to one of the nation’s premier aquariums, bringing established technologies together to create an experience that is both spectacular and meaningful. Our goal is simple: inspire curiosity by making guests feel like they’ve stepped inside the story.”

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.

The California Science Center will be closing Mummies of the World: The Exhibitionon Monday, September 7, 2026.

The exhibition brings together naturally and intentionally preserved human and animal mummies from South America, Europe, and ancient Egypt, including a new selection of specimens never-before-seen in Los Angeles.

Guests can explore the science of natural mummification in varied environments from glaciers and deserts to underground European crypts and will learn about the methods used to intentionally preserve animals and people in cultures ranging from ancient Egypt and Peru to modern day medical studies

Additionally, this exhibition includes CT scans (computed tomography) of full-body mummies, burial objects, mummification tools, and interactive audio-visual programs on the stories revealed by scientific analysis. Through the lens of science, guests can appreciate how mummification preserves irreplaceable physical and biological evidence and discover how the scientific study of mummies provides a window into the lives of ancient peoples, past civilizations, and our ever-changing world.

Since its world premiere at the California Science Center in 2010, Mummies of the World: The Exhibition has been seen by millions of visitors worldwide. This is the last chance to experience this powerful journey into the past before the artifacts and mummies return to their lending museums and institutions from around the world.

Guests can enhance their experience with the IMAX movie Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs. Part historic journey and part forensic adventure, Mummies 3D follows researchers and explorers as they piece together the archeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies.

This documentary is the perfect complement to the exhibition, exploring the history of mummification, ancient Egyptian beliefs, new discoveries, and the application of forensic science in the study of mummies.

Mummies of the World: The Exhibition and Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs will both close on Monday, September 7, 2026.

WHERE:   

California Science Center 700 Exposition Park Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90037

Parking is available at the California Science Center visitor parking in the Blue Structure. (Enter visitor parking at the Blue Structure on Figueroa Street and 39th Street/Exposition Park Drive.)

All tickets for Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, its accompanying audio guide, and the IMAX movie Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs can be purchased online, by calling 213-744-2019 or by visiting the Science Center box office (please note that in person sales have no additional service fees):

Exhibition tickets: $23.95 for adults and $15.95 for children. Audio guide: $5.00. IMAX movie tickets: $11.00 for adults and $9.00 for children. Combination tickets for both the exhibition and IMAX movie are $31.95 for adults and $21.95 for children.

 A service fee of $4 per person will apply to all online or telephone purchases. The fee is waived for California Science Center Members and in-person sales.

Discounted tickets and audio guides are available for Members, groups of 15 or more people, and private events. Full details can be found on the website here.

Gift certificates are also available for purchase in any amount by calling 213-744-2019 or by visiting the box office and can be redeemed in person at the Science Center.

The box office is open in person daily from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

IMAX Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs Run Time: 40 minutes.
For further information on Mummies 3D, can be found HERE.

Credit: The California Science Center.

For years now Plaza México has been providing a safe space for the special needs community, a place where they can meet up with old friends, or make new friends as sing karaoke dance the night away and just enjoy life!

Each Friday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Plaza México in Lynwood, CA., hosts Sueños y Esperanza (Dreams and Hope) a non-profit organization providing a sense of community with planned social activities for persons with Down Syndrome, Autism, and any other forms of neurodivergence. It’s a blast!

Sueños y Esperanza Organization:
Socialization for people with Down Syndrome, Autism, and other realities of human development. Sueños y Esperanza  place for everyone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbtvlq3kXfg/

The Aquarium of the Pacific and Harbor Breeze Cruises invite the public to set sail on an ocean adventure in search of whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea birds, and other animals. Learn about marine life on one of the two daily three-and-a-half-hour whale watch excursions from the Aquarium’s naturalist team, who will be on board to answer questions and talk about how warming waters off the Southern California coast can affect marine mammals. They will also share what to do if you see a stranded marine mammal. You can explore marine life and learn with the Aquarium’s naturalists by purchasing a combo ticket for a day at the Aquarium and a trip at sea in search of whales.

Ticket purchases for the whale watch help support the non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific and its conservation and education initiatives, including its Whale Photo I.D. program. The Aquarium has been documenting endangered and non-endangered whales and dolphins through its Whale Photo I.D. program since 2010. Aquarium staff photograph and record sightings of each whale during the Aquarium’s daily public whale watch outings aboard Harbor Breeze Cruises. After this, they log the species, upload the photos, add GPS coordinates, record animal behavior, and note the weather conditions on the water. This data is used by scientists to better understand these whales and even resulted in moving a shipping line in the past since it was being frequented by whales.

WHEN:          Twice daily at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:        Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

Harbor Breeze Cruises: 100 Aquarium Way, Dock #2 on Rainbow Harbor

COST:            Combo ticket with whale watch cruise and Aquarium admission: $92.95 per adult (ages 12+), $66.95 per child (ages 3-

                    11), and $82.95 per senior (ages 62+)

                      Whale watch cruise for Aquarium members: $45 per adult (ages 12+), $32 per child (ages 3-11),

                    and $38 per senior (ages 62+)

                        Reservations required 

INFO:            (562) 590-3100 or aquariumofpacific.org/education/info/whale_watch

AQUARIUM:  The non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific is dedicated to world-class conservation, outstanding animal welfare, and connecting people to nature through more than 12,000 animals and one hundred exhibits, including Jelly Dreamscapes. In addition to its public education programs for all ages, the Aquarium is involved in numerous conservation efforts, including breeding endangered animals for release, rehabilitating rescued species, community science programs, and more. The Aquarium is home to the only sea turtle rehabilitation program in Greater Los Angeles. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium, please visit the donation webpage. To visit, reservations are required and can be made at aquariumofpacific.org or by calling (562) 590-3100.

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.

Storyland Productions, the creators of Wander Through Wonderland and Babes in Toyland, is excited to announce their newest immersive experience, Christmas in July, at Heritage Square Museum (3800 Homer Street, Los Angeles, California 90031). Performances will take place Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets available for purchase via Eventbrite.

Experience a 90-minute immersive holiday adventure where historic Victorian homes are transformed into festive, storybook-inspired settings under the California sun.

Storybook Houses
Step inside interactive, photo-ready homes featuring beloved characters:

• Santa’s Tropical Summer House: Holiday cheer meets palm trees, flamingos, and festive decor.
• Goldilocks & the Three Bears’ Enchanted Christmas House
• Little Red Riding Hood’s Winter Cottage
• Little Bo Peep’s Christmas Dollhouse
• Hansel and Gretel’s Gingerbread House

Themed Lands

• Candyland: Features a life-size gingerbread house, the Gummy Bear Lounge, a strolling lollipop table, and oversized sweets.
• Toyland: See busy elves and toy soldiers prepping in Santa’s workshop, and enjoy a 30-minute theatrical performance inspired by Babes in Toyland, presented by the Pasadena Civic Ballet.

Festive tropical Christmas attire, storybook costumes, and Candyland-inspired looks are encouraged!

Just in Time For Summer, Explore Lompoc is inviting travelers, including couples, grandparents, families with children of all ages, including  toddlers and teens, from near and far to celebrate the season with a sojourn to Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm for its  3rd Annual Lavender Festival, July 11th, 18th, and 25th 2026, Noon to 5 PM in the bucolic Santa Rita Hills in Lompoc, California located in Santa Barbara County. https://explorelompoc.com/events/
In celebration of this year’s bloom, Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm has planned a FREE to the public Lavender Festival when the lavender is at its peak! Come and join the Farm as they open the field with a celebration of lavender in all its splendor! Parking is also FREE.

Highlighted will be a local vendor market, featuring regional artisans selling handmade lavender goods that include lavender sachets and pillows, and variety of lavender bath and body products. As part of the Festival, there will be artisans selling custom leather goods, wood carvings, jewelry, homemade bread and jams and jellies. Local 

food trucks will prepare  a wide variety of  lavender delicacies. Live music will be provided by several  musicians; Mark Bouras on the 11th, Dave Tate on the 18th, and Daniel Vera on the 25th. Be sure to sign up for one of the Farm’s Lavender Wreath Making classes ($55 including all supplies) and Lavender Essential Oil Distillation Demonstration (Free) scheduled throughout the three weekends to create a personalized lavender wreath using flowers from the field! To sign up on the 11th click here, to sign up on the 18th click here, and to sign up on the 25th click here. Base ticket includes one 10″ wreath frame with all materials and instruction. 

The Farm also produces and sells its handmade lavender products that include a estate grown and distilled essential oil, and culinary lavender products such as lavender coffee salt, sugar, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and honey.https://www.santaritahillslavender.com/full-catalogThe event this year is FREE to attend and visitors can obtain tickets by signing up here. 

FREE Parking is also available onsite. Visitors are asked to wear closed toed shoes and be aware that the Farm’s lavender also attracts bees, so prepare accordingly. We are on sandy soil so those that have physical handicaps we recommend coming on a different day so we can accommodate you appropriately. 

ABOUT SANTA RITA HILLS LAVENDER FARM:

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm is nestled on 8.5 acres and boasts stunning views of the valley out to the Pacific Ocean from the Farm. The Farm is a labor of love created by 

mother/son team Denise and Lucas Neumann, and was established in May 2020 at the height of the pandemic. The Farm grows 3000+ lavender plants which produces 20,000 

bundles of lavender and over 5 gallons of lavender essential oil. Denise has credentials as a Master Gardener and has created a 1/4 acre of seasonal cut flowers! The 

lush lavender fields are surrounded by pomegranate, crab apples, blackberries, pears, medicinal herbs using regenerative farming practices. 

While on the farm you can also see a wide variety of California native plants and wildlife.

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm is open from 10 AM to 5 PM daily, except Tuesdays with hours subject to change, and is located at 1900 Tularosa Road in Lompoc California. 

For more information about Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm in Lompoc’s new Summer events in July, 2026, visit www.santaritahillslavender.com  or 

https://www.goldenstateapothecary.com/  or contact Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm at 805-395-6568.

Credit: SANTA RITA HILLS LAVENDER FARM

Stars, stripes, and a celebration 250 years in the making! The Queen Mary in Long Beach is gearing up to welcome guests aboard for an unforgettable Independence Day as its signature 4th of July event returns on Saturday, July 4, 2026. This year’s festivities mark a rare moment in history, honoring America’s 250th birthday alongside the iconic ship’s 90th anniversary year, bringing two milestone celebrations together for one spectacular day on the waterfront. Tickets are on sale now.

“This year’s 4th of July celebration is especially meaningful as we honor the 250th birthday of the United States of America,” said Steve Caloca, Managing Director, The Queen Mary. “We’re bringing together the best of what makes this holiday so special: history, entertainment, community, and family,  all set against the backdrop of one of the most iconic destinations in the world, the Queen Mary.”

From 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the historic ocean liner will transform into a high-energy tribute to the moments, traditions, and cultural icons that define America. This year’s theme, “Cheers to 250 Years!”, sets the tone for a full day of immersive entertainment featuring live performances across multiple stages, strolling entertainers, interactive games, and a lineup of food and beverage offerings inspired by all-American favorites.

Guests can explore themed experiences throughout the ship’s decks and venues, each highlighting elements of American culture that have become household names. From classic summertime fun and live performances to festive activities designed for all ages, the celebration offers a dynamic, patriotic atmosphere from start to finish. Adding to the excitement, a special 250th anniversary WWII aircraft flyover will take to the skies, honoring the nation’s history and the Queen Mary’s own storied legacy. 

As the evening builds, anticipation turns skyward for the grand finale with a fireworks spectacular that is widely regarded as the best on the West Coast. Set against the Long Beach waterfront, this year’s display will be the longest firework show to date, lighting up the night across the bay for 20-minutes synchronized to patriotic music, delivering a show-stopping close to an unforgettable day.

The Queen Mary’s 4th of July celebration runs from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with tickets starting at $75 for general admission and $45 for children . VIP admission is $225 per person for ages 4+ and includes additional access to the Grand Salon Buffet, the Verandah Grill, Britannia Salon, Secret Speakeasy, and premium firework viewing. Hotel packages and reserved tables are also available. 

Tickets are available now at https://www.queenmary.com/fourth-of-july.htm, with early purchase encouraged as the event is expected to sell out. For more information, upcoming events, programming, and more, visit www.queenmary.com/seasonal-events.htm and queenmary.com/whatsondeck, or connect with us on social @TheQueenMary.

Credit: The Queen Mary.

 The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and artist john gerrard announce the Summer Solstice launch of SPIRITS, a landmark year-long artwork commissioned by LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab and presented on LACMA’s homepage from Winter Solstice 2025 to Winter Solstice 2026, on June 21, 2026. Highlighting LACMA’s opening celebrations for its new David Geffen Galleries, designed by Peter Zumthor, gerrard will present SPIRITS SUMMER SOLSTICE DANCE  a live event on the East West Bank Commons, headlined by a DJ set from acclaimed electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin. The Summer Solstice event will mark the debut of Peak Oil, an original psychoacoustic composition by john gerrard. The event is free and open to the public with RSVP.

SPIRITS is a rumination on our world’s petroleum addiction, aimed at highlighting the impossible bind we find ourselves in through the over consumption of and reliance on forever chemicals and plastics. A digitally native interactive work, SPIRITS is the the first institutional project in the world to use gaussian splatting, a spatial imaging technology that composes objects from cloud-like points of data. The Summer Solstice (Mediterranean Sea) launch marks the most significant public moment of gerrard’s most expansive year to date, and the first time in LACMA’s history that a major solo exhibition has been presented exclusively in the browser on LACMA’s homepage.

“SPIRITS begins in techne. The making, doing or crafting in ancient Greek – now assigned to technology and the algorithm. Over several years we have called these works up, from the realms of game engine, AI gaussian splat and tone.js composition. They took languages from art sims on the landscape and pushed into the touch screen and the cultural super space of the phone. On June 21 we welcome the extraordinary Richie Hawtin. We welcome thousands of dancers. We enter a form of participatory techno dance intersecting with both very old and very new knowledge, ecologies and power. We shall see where it takes us on solstice night on the beautiful new commons under the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA , LA” — john gerrard

“As a visual artist John has often cited music & rave culture as an important influence as he discovered (and danced to) Techno in the early nineties. As a musician, the structure and subtractive nature of my studio works would have never materialized without a deep interest and analysis of the mid-century works of Rothko, Barnet Newman and Donald Judd. For our collaboration at LACMA, John and I will explore the meeting point between sight & sound, rhythm & repetition and analog vs. digital.” — Richie Hawtin

“Bringing together Richie Hawtin’s pioneering approach to electronic music and john gerrard’s meditation on the world’s oceans, SPIRITS SUMMER SOLSTICE DANCE invites audiences to gather in celebration of the summer solstice, reflecting on the systems and cycles that connect us all.” — Joel Ferree, Art + Technology Lab, LACMA

JOHN GERRARD: SPIRITS
Organized around four bodies of water and four astronomical events, SPIRITS transforms 96 discarded plastic sandals and shoes, collected along the shores of the Pacific, Indian, Mediterranean, and Atlantic oceans, into luminous, interactive virtual sculptures rendered in real time in the browser. These are not images, not video, and not AI, rather they are what gerrard calls image objects: dimensional, world-built sculptures crafted over two years, in which the physics of the earth itself is embedded into each sculptural form. The viewer’s finger is the central cultural actor, each touch transforming the object with overlays of oil slicks, ocean currents and other forms.

The work unfolds in four 24-hour events, each releasing 24 new spirits hour by hour across a single day, tracing a full solar year. SPIRITS is conceived as a full solar wheel, opening and closing on December 21:

• Winter Solstice (Pacific Ocean): December 21, 2025 — now on view at lacma.org 
• Spring Equinox (Indian Ocean): March 20, 2026 — now on view at lacma.org 
• Summer Solstice (Mediterranean Sea): June 21, 2026 —  preview here 
• Autumn Equinox (Atlantic Ocean): September 22, 2026

SPIRITS uses WebGL, Babylon.js, Tone.js, and gaussian splatting technologies and is presented by LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab.

THE SPIRITS SUMMER SOLSTICE DANCE: JUNE 21, 2026
On the longest day of the year, SPIRITS SUMMER SOLSTICE DANCE marks both the inflection point where the days shorten and the wheel tips along with the release of the Summer SPIRITS. The activation is meant to connect the core concept of the work: petroleum and our planet at a location adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits, the oldest petroleum deposits in Los Angeles. As the sun wanes, ancient sunlight is also trapped beneath the dancer’s feet. Entirely waste free by design, the activation will span four hours as the day moves from light to dark. Upon entry each guests will receive a prismatic vessel titled UISCE (the Irish word for water, and the root of uisce beatha, “water of life.”) These vessels are intended to be kept as a gift from the artist  and serve as serving ware for refreshments for the evening.

Kicking off SPIRITS SOLSTICE DANCE Jelani and Anastasia Giovanitake the stage, two performers from Los Angeles inherit the SPIRITS world and perform the simulations live on the LED wall as the sun begins to set. At 7:30pm, Richie Hawtinarrives to lead the dance for two and a half hours.Inspired from data generated by Gerrard’s simulations, Hawtin will explore how the visual streams influence elements of his set in real time. Using his unique setup of the analog MODEL 1 mixer and integrated digital systems like Bitwig & Traktor, Hawtin will translate this unique moment into musical expression.

At the four corners of the floor stand four ocean sentinels, monumental sound and lighting towers, each holding one ocean of the world. At the center, a four point mister continuously cools the dancers through the night, each facing each cardinal direction toward its ocean. Dancers fill iridescent vessels from water vats and return to the floor. The event is designed by john gerrard with material care throughout: all surfaces are made from logs gathered from California’s burnt forest landscapes; a commissioned chill-out area features golden, sun-dried aromatic grasses and hay, hand-cut and baled with non-plastic twine. Food and drink are sourced from producers who work with care within post petroleum agriculture.

PEAK OIL
The Summer Solstice event will mark the debut of Peak Oil, an original psychoacoustic composition by john gerrard*. Conceived as a sonic expansion to SPIRITS, Peak Oil will be performed live at LACMA before being given to artists and DJs globally for remixing, with the track seeding into clubs across globally through July and August as the work travels to Silencio Ibiza at the end of June.

The composition extends gerrard’s investigation into petroleum, plasticity, and the material conditions of the contemporary world into the register of sound, adding an auditory dimension to the broader SPIRITS project and its meditation on what we have extracted from the earth and left behind on its shores. Built on dichotic listening, the words “peak oil” moving from one ear to the other at high repetition. The phrase shifts, morphs, becomes something else, then returns.

SPIRITS SUMMER SOLSTICE DANCE WITH RICHIE HAWTIN AND JOHN GERRARD
LACMA, East West Bank Commons
June 21, 2026 | 6:30 PM–10 PM
Free with RSVP