A longstanding and highly visible public art installation on the Third Street Promenade, known as the Dinosaurs of Santa Monica, is in line for long-overdue repairs and possible reimagining, as city officials and downtown stakeholders wrestle with maintenance challenges, legal constraints and diverging public sentiment.
The six dinosaur sculptures, originally commissioned through Santa Monica’s Percent for Art program and installed between Broadway and Wilshire, include four integrated water fountains and two topiary elements. Once considered playful and iconic centerpieces of the Promenade’s landscape, the sculptures have fallen into disrepair in recent years, with some fountains out of service, tiles missing or stained and infrastructure compromised by years of deferred maintenance.
At a May 20 meeting of the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) Public Space & Placemaking Committee, officials from the city’s new Department of Recreation and Arts acknowledged the visible deterioration and laid out the obstacles they face in restoring the sculptures. Among the most pressing is a California contractor licensing requirement that has inadvertently stalled the city’s ability to hire qualified art conservators.
“This is the context that we’re living in right now,” said Sofia Klatzker, head of cultural affairs for the city. “There is currently no straightforward legal path for contracting with specialists like conservators because the state’s licensing board only recognizes licensed contractors and not the kind of professionals trained in art conservation.”
The California State Licensing Board requirement, rooted in a 1979 law and recently reinforced by a lawsuit in Sacramento, prohibits unlicensed individuals from working on building-adjacent public installations. While a bill now moving through the state legislature may eventually exempt muralists, it does not currently extend to three-dimensional artworks like the dinosaurs, Klatzker said.
The city’s team has identified several potential workarounds, including leveraging DTSM’s contractor partnerships or seeking exemptions from the state board. Klatzker noted that some cities have pursued a model where a licensed contractor supervises a team of artists or conservators, allowing their work to proceed under that umbrella.
In the meantime, key fountain components remain offline. A city facilities staff member told the committee that corroded electrical systems at the dinosaur vaults forced the city to shut off power due to safety concerns. Public Works is seeking a cost estimate from Cal Waters, a longtime city contractor, to determine what repairs would be needed to bring the fountains back into service. That assessment has not yet been funded.
“I believe we would be in violation of the original agreement with the artist if these fountains are not operating,” said committee member Eric Sedman. “This needs to be a priority. One phone call should get this going.”
Committee members repeatedly emphasized the urgency of restoring the dinosaurs, both as a matter of civic pride and as part of broader revitalization efforts aimed at boosting the Promenade’s appeal.
“When you walk down a pedestrian mall area like this and you see this kind of deferred maintenance, it’s not a good look for anybody,” Sedman said.
City officials echoed that sentiment. Jenny Rogers, director of the Department of Recreation and Arts, acknowledged that the installation had become polarizing in recent years but argued that it still holds cultural and emotional value for many residents.
“I think if these weren’t feeling like an albatross, if they weren’t such a heavy lift to maintain, they would once again be an asset,” Rogers said. “There’s joy when people see them at their best.”
Rogers noted that the dinosaurs are closely associated with the city’s identity and family-oriented culture and she floated the idea of securing a dedicated maintenance fund or even a long-term endowment to ensure future upkeep. The estate of original artist Claude Lalanne has previously expressed interest in maintaining a connection to the sculptures and may be amenable to further discussions, she added.
At the time of the meeting, city officials floated a temporary visual fix for the dormant fountains: placing lined planters with succulents or other drought-tolerant greenery inside the empty basins to improve their appearance while repairs remained pending. Committee members emphasized the need for an interim solution ahead of increased foot traffic tied to the launch of the Entertainment District.
“We’re going to get a lot of attention because of the new district,” said Lucian Tudor, who chairs the committee. “We need a solution that doesn’t look like neglect.”
DTSM staff indicated they are already coordinating with the city on interim landscaping options. Long-term fixes, however, will depend on navigating the state’s regulatory framework and clarifying contract obligations that date back decades.
According to city staff, the original commission contract has been reviewed with the city attorney, but the artist’s written maintenance directions have not yet been located in the municipal archives. Staff also noted that roles and responsibilities for maintenance became muddled after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when citywide budget cuts and staffing reductions disrupted standard operations.
Prior to the pandemic, Public Works was responsible for maintaining the dinosaur fountains. After 2020, DTSM assumed responsibility for basic maintenance but not capital repairs or electrical infrastructure. That gap has left key components inoperable for nearly a year.
“We’ve been in a holding pattern almost as long as I’ve been here,” said Klatzker, who joined the department nearly two years ago.
While longer-term decisions are still pending, officials said they are committed to restoring the dinosaurs to a standard that reflects both the city’s artistic legacy and its evolving priorities for public space.
“We want the art to be a feature that people look forward to,” said Klatzker. “Something you can feel proud to showcase, not something that looks like it’s not ready for prime time.”
scott.snowden@smdp.com