Sacramento, CA — Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris recognized Pretend City Children’s Museum as the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year for the 73rd Assembly District. Each year, CalNonprofits invites California Assemblymembers and State Senators to honor a Nonprofit of the Year for their district during a luncheon celebrated near the State Capitol in Sacramento.
Since opening its doors in Irvine, Pretend City has served as a vital resource for families, educators, and caregivers, offering immersive, play-based learning experiences that promote cognitive, social, and emotional development in young children. The museum’s innovative learning spaces and programs have reached thousands of families across Southern California, fostering curiosity and creativity in the next generation.
“Pretend City is more than a museum—it’s a cornerstone of early childhood development in our community,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “Their commitment to nurturing young minds through imaginative play and educational programming has made a lasting impact on countless families. I’m proud to recognize their exceptional work and excited for their future expansion at the Great Park.”
Looking ahead, Pretend City is preparing for a major transformation with plans to build a new 72,000-square-foot facility within the Cultural Terrace at the Great Park in Irvine. This state-of-the-art museum will be three times the size of its current location and is designed to be an environmentally responsible hub for early childhood development. Features will include indoor and outdoor learning spaces, and a miniature city with interactive learning spaces such as a mail center, auto service station, supermarket, bank, theater, and café, each offering hands-on learning activities for children.
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris as the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year,” said Ellen Pais, Executive Director of Pretend City Children’s Museum. “This recognition is a meaningful validation of our mission to support early childhood development for all children through play-based learning. We are deeply grateful for the Assemblywoman’s continued support and advocacy for children and families across our community. As we look ahead to our expansion at the Great Park, we’re inspired to continue growing our impact and serving even more families throughout Southern California and beyond.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in July 2025, with the new museum anticipated to open its doors in winter 2026. The expanded facility aims to serve several hundred thousand visitors annually, solidifying Pretend City’s role as a leader in early childhood education and a cherished institution in the community.
This year, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris received nearly 70 nominations from constituents for nonprofit organizations serving the 73rd Assembly District and all of Orange County. Past Nonprofit of the Year honorees include: Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County (2024), Trellis (2023), Alzheimer’s Orange County (2022), Pacific Marine Mammal Center (2021), Families Forward (2020), and Save Our Youth (2019).