CONTACT: Cameron Andrews
Pier Communications
562-432-5300
For Immediate Release
Pacific Park donates an original Ferris wheel center hub sign to the Santa Monica History Museum
SANTA MONICA, Calif., (May 26, 2011) – Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier today announced the donation of a historical piece of its original world-famous Ferris wheel, one of the two center hub signs, to the Santa Monica History Museum.
With the yellow background and red Pacific Wheel inscription, the hub sign measures six feet in diameter and is encircled by 98 incandescent bulbs. The hub sign adorned the Ferris wheel from the opening of Pacific Park in May 1996 through its replacement in May 2008. In an informal ceremony led by Jeff Klocke, director of marketing and sales at Pacific Park, the artifact was presented to representatives of the Santa Monica History Museum including Louise Gabriel, President and CEO, and Eddie Guerboian, Chair of the Board.
“We wanted to present the Santa Monica History Museum with something extraordinary and nostalgic, which led us to the Ferris wheel’s center hub sign for preservation,” said Klocke.
“The Pacific Wheel has been an incredible source of pride for the City. Pacific Park’s donation of the center hub sign represents our desire to preserve a distinct part of Santa Monica history.”
The Pacific Wheel has been a highly visible icon for the entertainment industry as well having been featured in more than 350 movie, television, commercial, music videos and print advertisements. “We are pleased to accept this unique donation by Pacific Park,” said Gabriel. “This is the type of artifact that makes the History Museum relevant to the City. The center hub sign will provide a means for the community to relive its past with wonder and whimsy.”
On May 28, 2008, Pacific Park introduced an all-new $1.8 million Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel featuring more than 160,000 energy-efficient LED lights that provides higher energy savings while complementing the solar-power application. The eco-friendly, enhanced LED (more) Pacific Park Donates An Original Ferris Wheel Center Hub Sign To The Santa Monica History Museum; lighting provides 75 percent greater energy savings than most Ferris wheel’s traditional incandescent bulbs. The Pacific Wheel now presents dynamic, custom, computer-generated lighting entertainment each evening. The Pacific Wheel was the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel introduced in 1998 and was later selected “Best Solar System” in the Reader’s Digest Best in America 2006. The nine-story tall Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel stands 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean and offers extraordinary views of the Southern California coastline from its location on the internationally popular Santa Monica Pier. Overall the Pacific Wheel has provided more than 3 million rides in its 15 years of operation and continues to be a community treasure.
Pacific Park’s original Ferris wheel center hub sign is now on display at the Santa Monica History Museum during regular hours on Tuesday and Thursday from 12-8 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Santa Monica History Museum admission is $5 per adult, $3 per student with proper identification, and Free to members and children under 12.
Santa Monica History Museum is located at 1350 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401.
For additional information, please call 310-395-2290 or visit www.santamonicahistory.org.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, LA’s only admission free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 18 midway games and an oceanfront food plaza. Signature rides include the Pacific Wheel, the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel; The West Coaster, a steel roller coaster that races 55 feet above the Santa Monica Bay; and Inkie’s Air Lift Balloon Ride, the high-flying, family-share kids ride.
For additional information and hours of operation, call 310- 260-8744 or visit www.pacpark.com.