On 13 October, Disney100: The Exhibition, the largest exhibition the Walt Disney Archives has ever created opened at London’s ExCel. It will run in London until the end of January 2024. The exhibition includes ten uniquely themed galleries with cutting-edge technology. Visitors can discover over 250 of Disney’s “Crown Jewels,” including original artworks, artefacts, costumes, props, and other memorabilia.
During the launch event for the London leg of the exhibition’s international tour, blooloop talked to Becky Cline, the director of the Walt Disney Archives, Eric Goldberg, legendary Disney animator, and Bret Iwan, the voice of Mickey Mouse. Together with Christoph Scholz, director of exhibitions and international projects at Semmel Exhibitions, they spoke about the creation of Disney100: The Exhibition, and what it means for the company and its global fans.
The Disney legacy
On 16 October 1923, Walt Disney and his older brother Roy established the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which would eventually be known around the world as The Walt Disney Company.
In the 100 years since that point, Disney has captivated people’s attention and sparked joy around the world, through beloved animations, blockbuster films, theme park experiences and more. This new exhibition, which first opened in February 2023 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, US, and made its European debut in Munich, Germany, in April 2023, celebrates the legacy of Walt Disney and the creativity and innovation that has driven the brand for the last century.
Disney100: The Exhibition was produced by the Walt Disney Archives and Semmel Exhibitions. It took four years to plan and create. The exhibition includes footage and photos from Disney parks around the world. It also features costumes, interactive elements, artefacts and artworks.
The Walt Disney Archives
Introducing the Walt Disney Archives and its mission, Cline says:
“Our mission is to collect, preserve and share the history of The Walt Disney Company. We’re the company historians, for the whole company worldwide, representing all divisions of the company.”
Its scope ranges from the 1920s, through Walt’s lifetime, and up to the present day.
“We have a big team. We have a photo library that includes about 25 million images. A good percentage comes in digital form now. But we also have millions of photos that need to be digitised. So, we have a team that specifically works on state-of-the-art digitisation. We also have a lot of art that we’re catching up on and getting digitised.”
Alongside this work, the archives team also works on research, preservation and, of course, collections and exhibitions, like Disney100: The Exhibition.
The idea behind Disney100: The Exhibition
With such a huge legacy and wealth of material, the initial challenge of curating Disney100: The Exhibition was deciding what approach to take. Cline explains that the team knew early on that they didn’t want to simply present a chronological timeline.
“Instead, we decided to break it into themes. Then we selected the objects that told the stories in those themed galleries the best.”
“Those galleries are all based on Walt’s own philosophies. We found that the things that Walt did are the same as what we’re doing today. We’re just doing them with different tools and in different ways. That set us on a path to do the exhibit the way we have. It celebrates all things Disney but also allows us to bring in many different elements.”
While it may have been a daunting task, the key was storytelling; something Disney arguably does better than anyone:
“We tell our stories in so many different ways,” says Cline. “Even a piece of merchandise has a story behind it. With everything we do, we start with a great story. Then we use the tools that we have available to us to tell that story properly and in a new imaginative way.”
At the end of the day, it’s the content that matters, adds Scholz:
“We always start with a story and then we work with the objects to tell that story. You cannot betray the audience with something which is empty; there is a story behind each object.”
Iconic props, sketches and more
Deciding what to leave out was the hardest part, she adds:
“There is so much in the archive. We have massive collections of photography and art. We have big collections of props and costumes, and mixed sound effects – things like the equipment that we used for Tinkerbell’s chimes or to make the squeaky floors in Snow White. That’s what was so special about the early days of the Disney Company – Walt and Roy kept all of that. So, when we formed the archives in 1970, we were able to bring everything from around the company and save it.”
The ten galleries are:
Where It All Began, Where Do the Stories Come From?, The Illusion of Life, The Spirit of Adventure and Discovery, The Magic of Sound and Music, The World Around Us, Innoventions, Your Disney World: A Day in the Parks, The Wonder of Disney, and We Are Just Getting Started.
Along the way, guests can relive old favourites and discover the inspiration behind some of Disney’s most iconic movies.
It includes original story sketches from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the carousel horse from the Jolly Holiday sequence in Mary Poppins, maquettes from classic animations like Peter Pan, Dumbo and Pinocchio, concept art for the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland, puppets from the Star Wars franchise, a costume from The Lion King Broadway musical, a multiplane camera effects box used by Walt Disney, early plans for Disneyland, and much more.
There is also an original soundtrack from Steve Mazzaro, whose work features on the soundtracks of movies like The Lion King and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
A unique exhibition
Speaking about what makes the exhibition special, Goldberg says:
“I think this exhibition is wonderful because you really get to see from the very earliest days of Walt and Roy’s start to the present day, and just how much has been done in 100 years of Disney. I don’t think anybody can walk through this exhibition and not feel personal about it. It evokes so many memories of so many stories and characters that people love.”
Iwan adds:
“I was blown away by not only the collection but also the emotions that you experience as you go through. The power of Disney, and the wonder in celebrating 100 years of it, is that it’s tied so much to our own journeys and our own history. You see things from your childhood, or you hear that special piece of music and the emotions all come rushing back to you.
“I always say I have an amazing job of voicing Mickey. But at the end of the day, I’m just a big Disney fan. I admired Walt Disney for so long, so it’s amazing to be part of things like this exhibit.”
For Scholz, the appeal is in the sheer breadth of material on display:
“It’s an incredibly broad selection. We’re displaying over 250 objects from 100 years of cultural production, alongside wonderful interactives and photo moments.”
Highlights of Disney100: The Exhibition
When it comes to the content, all agree that it is difficult to choose their favourite element. However, they each spoke about some key personal highlights:
“I love the comparison of the storyboards by Bill Peet of Dumbo getting his bath and the final film,” says Golberg. “It really shows how influential the storyboard process is on the final film. And, shot for shot, Bill Peet nailed it. You can see it reflected in the final film in an absolutely concrete way. It’s great to be able to show those kinds of things here.
“It’s a very immersive, interactive exhibition, and very informative as well. It really does detail the processes that go into the making of our films.”
Cline says:
“As a Disney fan myself, I love the Where Do the Stories Come From? gallery. This explores where we get our inspiration. It’s wonderful to see these physical objects from the making of things like Snow White. When I was a child, the very first movie I ever saw was Mary Poppins. So, the objects from Mary Poppins are very dear to me.
“The snow globe is probably my favourite object in the exhibit. We can take the snow globe and show it as a museum object. But we were also able to add the magic of projections and special effects to it. When you’re looking at the snow globe, the birds fly around inside and then they come out into the gallery.”
A powerhouse of creativity
For Iwan, having one of his own paintings displayed in the exhibition was a highlight, something he describes as “surreal, a pinch-me moment.”
“As a child, I would go through the Mickey books and look at the previous paintings. And I remember thinking, ‘Oh, if only I could paint like that, it must be so cool to paint Mickey’s official portrait.’ So, to be asked by the Walt Disney Archives and D23 to contribute to the anniversary in this way was overwhelming.
“My hope is that somebody like me when I was a kid looks at this and is inspired by it or motivated by it, or just finds themselves smiling looking at it. I just hope it evokes an emotion, it evokes what Mickey does so well, which is to make us all feel joyful.
“I always love acknowledging that I’m a very small part of Mickey’s legacy. My role would be nothing without the artists, the writers, the directors, and everyone else who goes in the branding, and the marketing. There are so many pieces of the puzzle. Walt Disney, amongst many things, had a talent for combining talents and bringing in the right people to do the job.
“That’s still evident today. The Disney organisation is one big, creative powerhouse of so many different talents. We are all working together for the simple goal of creating joyful, memorable moments.”
Bringing Walt Disney back to life for Disney100: The Exhibition
While everyone will find something in the exhibition that speaks to their favourite Disney memories, one clear highlight comes at the very start of the experience. Here, Walt Disney himself greets guests and delivers a speech on creativity. Disney StudioLAB, Disney Research Studios and Industrial Light & Magic used state-of-the-art technology to digitally recreate Walt.
Two different audio recordings were combined to create the vocal script, using the resources of the Walt Disney Archives, alongside a Disney Research Studios film of Walt from the 1960s, which the team upgraded to high definition.
“One of the things that I specifically said when we started developing this exhibition is that I wanted Walt to host it,” says Cline. “After 100 years, there are a lot of people who don’t realise anymore that Walt Disney was a real person. When I was a child, you’d see him on TV every Sunday. But now there are kids who think that he’s a made-up character.
“In everything that Walt Disney did, starting in 1923 and up to his passing, he had these philosophies on the importance of storytelling, innovation and global outreach. Those were all things that he did, and we’re still doing those today. We may be using different tools and different stories. But the way we do it is still the same way Walt taught us. The foundations of the company still inform everything we do today.”
Interactive elements
There are places where visitors can don headphones, for instance, to hear more about the art of sound effects, as well as fun photo-op moments and 16 interactives that allow them to delve deeper into the world of Disney.
Including interactive elements is key to the success of any modern blockbuster exhibition, says Scholz, who has previously described Disney100: The Exhibition as “probably the world’s first truly immersive exhibit.”
“You need to tick all these boxes. So, you need to think about age groups and visitor groups. You need to provide interactives for those who like to get hands-on, and offer some rare or never displayed before objects for the connoisseurs,” he adds.
Cline says:
“I love the ability to add all these special things like the projections and the interactives. Each gallery has objects that you can look at and we tell the stories through written text. Then, there are also interactives in every gallery that you can play with and learn more through. You can take deep dives into Disney’s history and learn a lot in here. Or you can just go through and look at the cool things. It depends on what kind of a fan you are or what you want to get out of the exhibit. You can spend hours and hours here and learn so much.
“If you’re a big fan, you will probably find things in here that you never knew about Disney. It’s so exciting to be able to do that.”
Taking Disney100: The Exhibition on tour
Semmel Exhibitions, the producer and international tour promoter of Disney100: The Exhibition, is now overseeing the international tour, working with local partners and venues.
Working on Disney 100: The Exhibition is a dream come true, says Scholz:
“Disney stands for entertainment. There is nothing which is comparable, covering everything from cruise ships to West End and Broadway musicals, from wonderful animation films to world-class theme parks, and so many technological innovations.”
“We have proven over the last almost 15 years of Semmel Exhibitions that we are capable of handling large-scale international touring productions at museum quality. We started back in the day with the highly successful replica version of Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures. That is still on tour after all these years. Right now, it is showing strong ticket sales in Atlanta.
“Then we conceived Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, Marvel’s first big museum exhibit. That launched in 2008 at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle.”
The next location for Disney100: The Exhibition will be announced soon. In the meantime, Scholz says:
“We are working on places like Seoul, Tokyo, and Milan and are just gathering our touring options in the Middle East. We hope that we can go to many places in the next five or six years. It is an IP with a truly global appeal; it transcends borders and languages.”
Offering joy and inspiration
Finishing by speaking about what he hopes guests will get from a visit to Disney100: The Exhibition, Goldberg says:
“I think what they can take away is the sheer passion and talent and thought that goes into every piece of Disney entertainment. I’m an animator, but this covers far more than just the animation process. It really is talking about Disney the entity, for an entire 100 years. It’s great to have something like this that encompasses all of it.”
Scholz says:
“We want them to enjoy two or three magical hours, alone or with their friends or family, or their school class. Disney creates magic, and so we deliver here a little bit of escapism. I also hope that they see how deep and far Disney’s roots go into cultural production. It’s more than just a film company or a theme park company. If you spend a little time in our exhibition, you will discover so much more.”
“I hope that they walk away being entertained and potentially more educated about an aspect of the company’s history that they didn’t know,” adds Iwan. “But I also hope it stirs up memories of good times. I think we all need that occasionally. Looking back on those nostalgic feelings, they do something to motivate us and remind us of where we came from and where we’re going.
“Seeing that through the lens of the Disney company’s history will motivate guests to pursue their own creative visions or passions, or maybe just to wish upon a star and dream a bit bigger.”
All images kind courtesy of Disney
