6 April 2022 – 16 October 2022
Admission charge
#InspiringWaltDisney

★★★★★ ‘Mesmerising’ — The Observer
★★★★★ ‘A witty, magical, entrancing gem’ — The Telegraph
★★★★ ‘Fascinating’ — The Times

In 2022, in collaboration with New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, we presented the magic of Disney as never seen before.

Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts displayed American 20th-century hand-drawn animation alongside French 18th-century art to reveal the surprising and enchanting connections between these two artistic movements.

Every ticket came with a free audioguide with contributions from curators and Disney animators. Although the exhibition has now come to an end, you can still check out the Inspiring Walt Disney range at our shop.

Drawing on the outstanding artworks of the Wallace Collection and spectacular international loans, the exhibition highlighted the exceptional talent and innovation of both Walt Disney Animation Studios artists and the creative pioneers of the French 18th century. Although separated by two centuries, the artists, craftspeople and animators all had the same ambition – to breathe life, character, and charm into the inanimate.

This exhibition was supported by:

Jake and Hélène Marie Shafran
Adrian Sassoon
Michael and Angela Cronk
The Rothschild Foundation
The Elizabeth Cayzer Charitable Trust
Michele Beiny Harkins
The Tavolozza Foundation
Lawrence and Marilyn Friedland
Cecilia Versteegh
Kate de Rothschild Agius and Marcus Agius CBE
The A&O New Change Group

Background Image: Cinderella, 1950, Disney Studio Artist, Background painting, gouache on paper © Disney