MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WBAY) – Children’s Wisconsin has been selected by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation as they expand their growing network as the 16th Seacrest Studio.
The 1,250-square-foot studio is scheduled to open in the summer of 2028 and will be located in the lobby of the Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee Hospital.
Seacrest Studios are content creation and interactive media studios where patients host podcasts, produce video content and interview celebrity guests while receiving care.
“Milwaukee is a vibrant cultural hub, and we are thrilled to expand into the Midwest with Children’s Wisconsin as our 16th Seacrest Studio location,” said Ryan Seacrest, chairman and founder of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. “With each studio, we are proud to see patients and families embrace the space as a core part of the hospital experience to create strong memories and positive experiences during difficult times. The team at Children’s Wisconsin is the perfect partner to help bring this vision to life.”
How the studios work
Seacrest Studios are fully equipped media studios located directly inside pediatric hospitals, offering patients the opportunity to participate in person or from the comfort of their rooms virtually.
The studios give kids a fun, creative outlet when they are receiving medical care.
The studios help reduce anxiety, build confidence and improve engagement in care, which leads to better coping skills during treatment.
“This project is about collaboration, innovation and bringing moments of joy to kids and families during what can be a very difficult time,” said Gil Peri, president and CEO of Children’s Wisconsin. “We’re incredibly grateful to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation for partnering with us to create something truly unique and special for the children and families we serve.”
Foundation impact
Seacrest Studios was started by the Emmy Award-winning host and media personality, along with his family, including Meredith Seacrest Leach, executive director and CEO of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.
The goal of the foundation is to help children feel less scared, less isolated and more like themselves during a difficult time.
In 2025, the Ryan Seacrest Foundation delivered 8,406 hours of live programming and helped patients create 265 original shows, reaching approximately 3.1 million patients and family members through its national network.
Children’s Wisconsin and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation are raising additional funds for the Seacrest Studio at Children’s to advance construction and support studio programming.
Gifts have already included $1 million from the Slaggie Family Foundation, directed by Matt and Lindsay Slaggie, as well as from longtime foundation partners Sony Pictures Entertainment and iHeartMedia, Inc.
The Ryan Seacrest Foundation currently has Seacrest Studios at hospitals in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Miami, Memphis, Orange County, Orlando, Queens, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. A new studio is slated to open in New Orleans at Manning Family Children’s Hospital in early 2027.
Children’s Wisconsin, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States.
It is ranked among the top pediatric hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospitals report.
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