One hundred years is an exceptional milestone, so to mark the extra-momentous occasion, The Walt Disney Archives put together its most comprehensive exhibit to date – Disney100: The Exhibition – to trace the company’s 100 years of innovation, imagination and, of course, Disney magic. And if you can’t make it to the exhibition in person, a “Disney100: The Exhibition – Making The Magic” TV special is also launching on March 23rd. All the info about the Disney100 Exhibition & TV Special below. 

Disney100: The Exhibition
All photos courtesy of Disney

The 15,000-square-foot exhibition premiered Feb. 18. 2023, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and features ten galleries filled with treasures from The Walt Disney Archives, including original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other iconic Disney Studios and theme park memorabilia.

Disney100: The Exhibition

“Bringing stories of innovation and discovery to the public in an immersive and interactive way is at the heart of what The Franklin Institute has done for the past 200 years,” said Franklin Institute President & CEO Larry Dubinski. “We are thrilled that the world premiere of Disney100: The Exhibition is here, offering the first opportunity to see the crown jewels come to life in beautifully crafted galleries reflecting Disney’s imaginative storytelling, innovation, discovery, and wonder.”

Disney MagicStage Featuring Walt Disney

Through the magic of cutting-edge technology – and a collaboration between Disney StudioLAB, Disney Research|Studios, and Industrial Light & Magic – a life-sized digital hologram of Walt Disney welcomes visitors with a message about innovation.

Disney100: The Exhibition

The audio portion of the message was created by combining two separate recordings of Walt from the Walt Disney Archives. The archival footage of 1960s-era Walt was converted to high-definition video through DisneyResearch|Studios’ super-resolution A.I. upscaler. Together, they created the exhibition’s authentic recreation of Walt Disney – after all (and as he famously said) “We’re always exploring and experimenting.”

The Music

A new musical theme was also created exclusively for the exhibition by composer Steve Mazzaro, whose work can be heard in “The Lion King” (2019), “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017), and “The Lone Ranger” (2013). Mazzaro’s original soundtrack for the exhibit combines beloved Disney songs that span Disney’s 100-year history from “When You Wish Upon A Star” from “Pinocchio” (1940) to “Let It Go” from “Frozen” (2013).

The Galleries

The exhibition’s ten themed galleries offer behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creation of beloved characters, films, shows, and attractions, including The Wonder of Disney, The World Around Us, Innoventions, and We Are Just Getting Started

Plus…

Where It All Began, which features the Laugh-O-gram Films, Inc. megaphone used by Walt Disney (1923)

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Where Do the Stories Come From?, which includes a “Sources of Inspiration” interactive installation

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The ExhibitionDisney100: The Exhibition
Your Disney World: A Day in the Parks, including attraction vehicles from Matterhorn Bobsleds and Peter Pan’s Flight

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Additional galleries (and some of the amazing artifacts on display) are:

The Illusion of Life

  • Animation maquettes display, including Bernard from “Rescuers Down Under” (1990), Pocahontas (1995), Victor from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996), Mulan (1998), Meilin Lee from “Turning Red” (2022)
  • Olaf toy puppet from Frozen: The Broadway Musical (2018-present)
  • Costume worn by Emma Stone in “Cruella” (2021)

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

The Spirit of Adventure and Discovery

  • Costume worn by Emily Blunt in “Jungle Cruise” (2021)
  • Captain Barbossa costume worn by Geoffrey Rush in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
  • Prop ship in a bottle from “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011)
  • Black Panther costume from “Black Panther” (2018)
  • Marvel Studios character helmets and masks
  • Captain America shield from “Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
  • Nautilus special effects filming model for “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954) and the interactive Nautilus Window, where guests can see Disney’s underwater worlds

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

The Magic of Sound and Music

  • The “curtain dress” costume worn by Amy Adams in “Enchanted” (2007)
  • An international music interactive experience for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto” (2021), where guests can select which language they’d like to hear
  • Mufasa costume from The Lion King: The Broadway Musical (1997-present)

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

The Treasures

Among the hundreds of items on display are more than 250 gems known as “Disney’s Crown Jewels,” some of which were part of the “All That Glitters: The Crown Jewels of the Walt Disney Archives” exhibition at the Bowers Museum in Orange County, Calif.

Disney’s “All That Glitters” Exhibition is a Treasure Trove of Disney Archive Jewels

These rarely-seen pieces of original artwork, artifacts, costumes, props, and other memorabilia on display for Disney100 include the earliest sketches of Mickey Mouse (and animation drawings from his debut in “Steamboat Willie” (1928), the Spell Book from “Hocus Pocus” (1993), the model for Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park, a Genie maquette from “Aladdin” (1992), and the Black Panther costume from the 2018 film.

Disney100: The Exhibition

The exhibition also includes two beloved props from the Disney classic movie starring two Disney Legends, “Mary Poppins,” Mary’s original carousel horse and the famous snow globe of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which will come to life in a “dazzling” way.

Disney100: The Exhibition

Disney100: The Exhibition

Did you know? The iconic snow globe was almost lost, but thankfully, it was discovered in 1970 by original Disney archivist (and Disney Legend) Dave Smith in the Walt Disney Studios Animation Building basement, where it had been tucked away after being rescued from the trash by the studio’s head janitor.

Disney100: The Exhibition Fun Facts

  • The oldest item is a Zoetrope from the offices of Walt Disney (c. 1860)
  • The newest items are Wendy’s Necklace and Captain Hook’s Hook from the upcoming “Peter Pan & Wendy” (2023)
  • The largest item is the Peter Pan’s Flight ride vehicle at 7+ feet long and 7 feet tall
  • The smallest item is Han Solo’s Dice from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017) at approximately 1.5 cubic centimeters (not including the chain)
  • The heaviest item is the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride vehicle at over 1,500 pounds
  • The longest item is the Nautilus special effects filming model at approximately 12 feet long

Disney100: The Exhibition

“The Walt Disney Archives spent years planning and curating more than 250 objects to capture the 100 years of storytelling, creativity, and unparalleled magic of The Walt Disney Company,” said Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline. “We cannot wait for fans and families to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating the iconic characters and stories that have captured the hearts of audiences around the globe.”

Disney100: The Exhibition will be at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia through Aug. 27, 2023. Tickets are timed and dated (advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended). The exhibition will make its European debut on April 18, 2023, in Munich, Germany, followed by the London premiere in the Fall of 2023.

Click here for more information, and click here for tickets to see the exhibition in Philadelphia.

DISNEY100: THE EXHIBITION TV SPECIAL

If you can’t make it to the exhibition in person, HULU will be streaming a special entitled “DISNEY100: THE EXHIBITION – MAKING THE MAGIC.” The 30-minute special will debut on March 23rd on ABC Owned Television Stations as well as the Localish network and on Hulu. 

The “Making the Magic” special highlights iconic Disney items in the Disney100 Exhibition and shows how it all came together. Here’s a trailer for the “Disney100: The Exhibition – Making The Magic” TV special: 

 

Among the Disney treasures viewers will glimpse on the special are Disneyland Employee Badge No. 1, which was issued to Walt Disney himself in 1955 at the opening of Disneyland. There are also costumes from a variety of Disney films, prop storybooks featured in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Sleeping Beauty,” Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber Hilt, attraction vehicles from Matterhorn Bobsleds and Peter Pan’s Flight, and other iconic items.  

The show also visits the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank to see how the 15,000-square-foot exhibition was produced. At just 30 minutes in length, the show is a whirlwind of a promotional piece for the new exhibition, but also easy to consume. 


Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels!!!

Disney100 Exhibition, Disney100: The Exhibition Hits The Road & The Small Screen
The Disney100 celebration is coming up. Time to start planning!

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Let’s Hear From You!

Disney100 Exhibition, Disney100: The Exhibition Hits The Road & The Small Screen
Legendary Imagineer, Bob Gurr, with Mickey and Minnie at the Franklin Institute. (Photo courtesy Bob Gurr)

Disney100: The Exhibition will journey across the United States (dates and locations still to be announced) after leaving Philadelphia. A 2nd unit will travel Europe with a first stop in Munich, followed by London. Would you like Disney100 The Exhibition to visit your city? What do you think about bringing Walt “back to life” via hologram? Looking forward to the TV Special? Share your thought and comments below!

Related reading. Don’t miss the stunning Disney Exhibit now at the Huntington Library and Gardens in Southern California:

Inspiring Walt Disney – A Stunning Disney Exhibit at the Huntington Library & Gardens

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Samantha Davis-Friedman
Samantha was born and raised in Southern California. She spent ten years working in television production; however, her English degree from UCLA was finally put to good use in 2011 when she began writing about family travel and theme parks. She has enjoyed sharing her adventures with readers ever since.