Walker’s Imaginarium Breaking Ground at Children’s Hospital

The dream of Walker’s Imaginarium is getting closer to becoming a reality thanks to the many generous donors who have supported the project, which is being made possible entirely through philanthropic support. Walker’s Imaginarium is a first-of-its-kind, 15,000-square-foot child enrichment center planned for the main campus of Children’s Hospital New Orleans that will provide a unique therapeutic environment for children of all ages and abilities to find joy and thrive throughout their hospital stay.

Named in loving memory of Walker Beery, who founded non-profit Kids Join the Fight before losing his own battle to pediatric brain cancer, Walker’s Imaginarium will serve as a place of healing and enrichment for children—a space where kids can play and momentarily forget they are sick. Child enrichment leads to improved quality, outcomes, and patient family experiences. Families also need a space to be families while experiencing a hospital stay, which can be a hard and stressful time for both parents and siblings.

Something as simple as a walk outside or a moment to step away and dance can provide a tremendous amount of respite. Children’s Hospital works hard to ensure as many joyful moments as possible, and Walker’s Imaginarium will do just that, optimizing the patient and the family’s ability to cope while navigating their healthcare experience. The imaginative escape of Walker’s Imaginarium will also offer patients and their families an opportunity to connect and form communities of support that would otherwise be difficult in isolated patient rooms or nursing units.

Walker’s Imaginarium is designed by New Orleans-based architecture firm, EskewDumezRipple+, with exhibit design by Gyroscope, a California-based firm that is expert in developing children’s museums and enrichment spaces across the country. The team has approached this first-of-its-kind project with passion and research – keeping accessible, universal design at the core of the project. Exhibits will be fabricated by local firm, Solomon Group, and the building will be constructed by Lemoine, with a ground breaking planned this month and opening slated for May of 2026.

The Imaginarium will feature two floors filled with interactive, kid-friendly exhibits, including an immersive Funky Forest, Dance Stage and Music Center, a Percussion Tree, Porch Life Zone, Airboat Adventure, Sports Zone, Putt Putt Parishes mini golf course, and a Krewe of Walker Float, where kids can design their own throws and engage in costume dress-up. In celebration of Louisiana’s vibrant culture, the Imaginarium will also incorporate local art and themes into its design.

A custom Immersive, Interactive LED Mariposa Art installation by Christopher Schardt, an LED sculptor based in Oakland, California will be activated by an accessible swing, allowing children to control the movement of the large and stunning butterfly wings above. Walker’s Imaginarium was also selected to host a Seacrest Studios, courtesy of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. Seacrest Studios provides a variety of programming for patients, whether they are in the studio or watching from their in-room TV screens through a closed-circuit network.

While project planning has continued, Kids Join the Fight and Children’s Hospital New Orleans have been working side by side for the last two years to raise the funds needed to make Walker’s Imaginarium possible. A fundraising steering committee has played a vital role in making valuable connections throughout the community and raising significant funds to support the construction and program development for Walker’s Imaginarium. To date, the committee has helped raise more than $11M toward the total project goal and aims to close the gap in early 2025.

To learn more about Walker’s Imaginarium visit kjtf.chnola.org.

504.547.7891 | 200 Henry Clay Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118