New Walt Disney Exhibition Opens at The Met!

Gallery view of Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (December 10, 2021–March 6, 2022). Photo by Paul Lachenauer, Courtesy of The Met

New Walt Disney Exhibition Opens at The Met!

We have all grown up seeing beautiful pink castles and talking objects such as sofas and clocks come across our screens, but have you ever thought of where Walt Disney Animation Studios got these ideas? Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts, the newest exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, explores Walt Disney’s personal fascination with European art.

This first-ever exhibition exploring the work of Walt Disney will showcase 18th-century European decorative arts and design along with 150 production artworks such as videos from his family visits to France and drawn out designs and transformations from some of Disney’s most beloved movies. Guests will also be able to watch film footage of the technological and artistic developments of the studio that Walt Disney was able to help create during his life.

Inspiring Walt Disney’s exhibit will be laid out thematically and broadly chronologically. Families will start with his fascination and personal relationship with France and how he decided to take collections he had seen during his trips and mirror them into his parks and movies.

Photo by Paul Lachenauer, Courtesy of The Met. © Disney

The next couple of sections will focus on the idea of “Animating the Inanimate” that you would see very frequently in Disney’s creations, as well as showcasing artwork that was used in the development of his first early animated features ( Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty).

The biggest and the most anticipated section is one that is dedicated entirely to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year! You will see how European culture and art takes effect in this film with movie sketches shown alongside 18th-century clocks, candlesticks, and teapots. Kids will love to see all of their favorite Disney characters and movies layed out in front of them while parents will enjoy looking at European culture and art that gives these films more meaning!

Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts is included in a general admission ticket and will be open now through March 6, 2022. Timed tickets can be purchased ahead of time online and guests ages 5 and up must show proof of vaccination upon arrival.

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