Cost
Included with general admission
Date
Oct 17, 2024–Mar 2025
Location
Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries
During D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa®, The Walt Disney Family Museum announced 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 will spotlight many of the legendary directors whose creative talent and innovations made Walt Disney’s animated films possible. Opening October 17, 2024, this original exhibition will be on view in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries.
Directing at Disney will showcase 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 will include detailed production and story meeting notes, storyboards, concept paintings, layout drawings, original sheet music, office memos, and hand-written letters. The special exhibition space will also feature touchscreen interactives and opportunities to scan QR codes to access additional digital content.
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 will guide guests through each stage of an animation director’s role and highlight how the work and legacy of the Studios’ original directors have influenced the Disney filmmakers of today.
Directing at Disney will be on view in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries from Thursday, October 17, 2024 through March 2025. Access to the special exhibition is included with general admission.