NEW ORLEANS — The Ryan Seacrest Foundation has selected Children’s Hospital New Orleans to be the home of one of its newest broadcast media centers.
Walker’s Imaginarium, a child enrichment center planned for the main campus of the hospital, will be home to the foundation’s first Seacrest Studios in the Gulf South. The studio will allow pediatric patients to explore the creative realms of radio, television and new media.
The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young people through entertainment- and education-focused initiatives. The Children’s Hospital project is happening in partnership with nonprofit Kids Join The Fight.
Walker’s Imaginarium, which will include two floors of interactive, kid-friendly exhibits, will be home to the 1,200-square-foot Seacrest Studios. Crews will break ground on the space later this year. It is scheduled to open early in 2026.
“We quickly fell in love with the vision of Children’s Hospital New Orleans and Kids Join The Fight to redefine the patient and family experience through Walker’s Imaginarium,” Seacrest said in a press release. “New Orleans is one of the best culture and music cities in the country, and I cannot think of a better place to bring joy to patients through our foundation.”
Seacrest Studios can engage more than a dozen patients at a time within the studio, adjacent stage and overflow space. The studio will allow patients to host their own radio and television shows, watch live musical performances, play games and interview celebrity guests. Patients also can watch the programming through a closed-circuit network from their in-room televisions. Encased in glass, the studio also will allow patients and visitors to watch the daily programming in real time from the main floor of Walker’s Imaginarium.
“Over the last five years, Children’s Hospital New Orleans has made significant investments in the patient and family experience,” said Renee Guilbeau, director of child life and creative therapies at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “I have heard from colleagues around the country about what a differentiator Seacrest Studios is for overall patient experience, and we are so excited about this opportunity to partner here in New Orleans to create something truly spectacular that celebrates our culture and invites in community. We can’t wait to come to you live from inside our studio, and for all of the creative content and ideas our kiddos will come up with.”
Other Seacrest Studios are currently located at hospitals in Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; Dallas; Denver; Nashville, Tenn.; Orange, Calif.; Philadelphia; Orlando; Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; New York City; and Salt Lake City.
