Directing at Disney

The Walt Disney Family Museum presents its latest special exhibition, Directing at Disney, inspired by the recent book of the same name written by Academy Award®-winning director and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar Pete Docter and Disney historian and author Don Peri—published by Disney Editions. Guest curated by Docter and Peri with the museum’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions Marina Villar Delgado, Directing at Disney spotlights the legendary directors whose creative talent and innovations made Walt Disney’s animated films possible. This original exhibition is now on view in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries.

Directors featured in this special exhibition—including Disney Legends Ben Sharpsteen, David Hand, Hamilton “Ham” Luske, Wilfred Jackson, and Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman—each brought a distinctive style to their films. As Disney productions became bigger, costlier, and more complex, so did the work of these directors. Directing at Disney guides guests through each stage of an animation director’s role and highlights how the work and legacy of the Studios’ original directors have influenced the Disney filmmakers of today.

The special exhibition space showcases an extensive selection of rare film artifacts from The Walt Disney Studios and archival photographs featuring Walt, his early production teams, and legendary directors—dating as far back as the 1930s. Objects and ephemera on display include detailed production and story meeting notes, storyboards, concept paintings, layout drawings, hand-written letters, and more.

The special exhibition also features touchscreen interactives to access additional digital content and the opportunity to time out an animated sequence then playback the final result, just like a Disney director. Additionally, activity sheets are available for guests of all ages to learn more about worldbuilding, screenplay writing, and how directors use storyboards to determine camera angles and capture the best shot, as well as focus on story progression, cinematics, lighting, and framing.

Directing at Disney will be on view through March 2025 and is free to the public.