NEW LEASE ON KNOWLEDGE RIORDAN PAVES WAY FOR VALLEY MUSEUM CAMPUS SITES.

Byline: Alexa Haussler Staff Writer

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan signed two new leases Thursday with the Children's Museum allowing it to build campuses near Hansen Dam in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and at the downtown ``Art Park'' area near Little Tokyo.

Now that the leases are signed, the museum's trustees will launch fund- raising efforts to raise $7.5 million still needed to build the Valley campus, leaders said.

``You can't seriously design, plan or fund-raise for a museum without a location. We now have the location,'' said Doug Ring, president of the museum's trustees. ``We're thrilled.''

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, will ask the state to chip in $2 million for two new facilities, a spokesman said.

``The best investment . . . is in our future and that future is our children,'' Cedillo's assistant Tony Ricasa said.

The City Council approved the leases Wednesday and Riordan signed them a day later in a ceremony in front of the current Children's Museum building downtown, which museum officials say they've outgrown.

``If you think the museum is great now, it's going to be better and better and better,'' Riordan said. ``You'll have double the fun, double the excitement.''

City Councilman Alex Padilla said the new campus at Hansen Dam will improve ``a region that hasn't historically had these types of resources available.''

Currently, the Valley's only major museum facility is the Nethercutt Collection. The Sylmar facility features antique luxury cars.

``This is a landmark step in the San Fernando Valley,'' Padilla said. ``What this means for the kids is they don't have to go on long school field trips during the week to go to a museum. Entire families can visit and take advantage of it on weekends.''

The Hansen Dam campus is planned to focus on the environment and ecology, while the downtown exhibits will emphasize urban topics such as the entertainment industry and how the city runs.

``We are interested in hands-on, participatory experiences for children and their grown-ups,'' said Children's Museum Director Candace Barrett. ``We will continue to do that in both places.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 maps

Photo: Mayor Richard Riordan, left, and council member Alex Padilla sign a bill for new children's museums Thursday in front of the Children's Museum in downtown L.A. as students from Fenton Avenue Charter School look on.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

Map: (1) Children's Museum Hansen Dam site

(2) Children's Museum Little Tokyo site