Barnum Hall

Barnum Hall's design goes way beyond those of a traditional high school theatre. Originally known 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.  

 Additionally on the front facade of the hall is a concrete bas-relief of a comedy-tragedy mask and musical instruments portrayed in the art deco style that was preeminent for many public buildings in the 1930's. Interior public areas of the building contain two noteworthy pieces of MacDonald-Wright artwork, a fire curtain mural and a large mosaic piece. The fire curtain mural is titled “Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla.” The mosaic piece in the foyer is called “Landing of the Vikings in Vinland.”  (The Santa Monica High School sports teams are called the Vikings.)