The Exhibition, which celebrates Disney 100 Years of Wonder, launches a World Tour at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute on February 18, 2023, with next stops announced, including Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, and Munich, Germany
Philadelphia, PA (September 10, 2022) – Today at D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, CA, exciting new details and stops were announced for the upcoming world premiere of Disney100: The Exhibition. Created for the 100-year celebration of The Walt Disney Company, the exhibition will immerse guests in the beloved stories that have been dazzling guests since 1923, when Walt Disney set his company on a path that would revolutionize the entertainment industry. The world premiere of the exhibit opens February 18, 2023, at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA, with Chicago, IL, and Kansas City, MO, set as the next two stops on the North American tour. The international unit of the exhibit will open on April 18, 2023, in Munich, Germany, with more cities to be announced in the coming months.
The official exhibition poster and trailer were also revealed today.
“As we prepare to kick off Disney 100 Years of Wonder, we are incredibly excited to bring this fantastic exhibition to life,” said Becky Cline, director, Walt Disney Archives. “We can’t wait for guests to experience their favorite Disney stories, characters, and attractions in new and immersive ways as we celebrate all the wonderful worlds of Disney.”
President and CEO of The Franklin Institute Larry Dubinski added, “The Franklin Institute is thrilled to host Disney100: The Exhibition, the first major event to mark the global celebration of Disney’s 100 years, allowing fans throughout the Philadelphia region and beyond the very first opportunity to see these crown jewels come to life in beautifully crafted galleries reflecting the creative empire synonymous with imaginative storytelling, innovation, discovery, and wonder.”
Over the past 100 years, Disney has brought its iconic stories and characters to life in new and innovative ways, becoming part of the global culture and creating generations of memories for billions. Disney100: The Exhibition invites guests to step into their favorite stories using innovation and immersive technology throughout ten galleries in the 15,000-square-foot exhibit.
The Walt Disney Archives opens its vault of treasures, showcasing hundreds of extraordinary objects, including many of Disney’s “Crown Jewels” – more than 250 rarely seen original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other memorabilia. Disney has curated special behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creation of the most popular characters, films, shows, and attractions – from Disneyland to Walt Disney World® Resort and beyond. The ten magnificent and imaginatively themed galleries, with moving stories, unique interactive installations, and exciting background information, will take visitors on a journey through 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, celebrating the classics from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World, as well as the latest members of the Disney family – Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.
Disney100: The Exhibition Facts:
-Ten large, themed galleries with numerous cutting-edge interactive installations covering 15,000 square feet
-February 18, 2023: World Premiere at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, launching the U.S. tour
-April 18, 2023: European Premiere in Munich
-Created and curated by the Walt Disney Archives and Semmel Exhibitions
The Franklin Institute is proud to present and play host to the world premiere of Disney100: The Exhibition in the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion and the Mandell Center. PECO, the premier corporate partner of The Franklin Institute, is the Local Presenting Sponsor of the exhibition
About The Franklin Institute
Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in science and technology learning and a dynamic center of activity. As Pennsylvania’s most visited museum, it is dedicated to creating a passion for learning about science by offering access to hands-on science education. For more information, visit www.fi.edu.
About the Walt Disney Archives
For more than 50 years, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.
About Semmel Exhibitions
Semmel Exhibitions creates exhibitions, which travel worldwide, and hosts international exhibitions in Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland. Semmel Exhibitions is a division of Semmel Concerts Entertainment, the large German live entertainment producer. Since Semmel Exhibitions started touring its exhibitions TUTANKHAMUN – HIS TOMB AND HIS TREASURES; THE DISCOVERY OF KING TUT; and most recently MARVEL: UNIVERSE OF SUPER HEROES and SPIDER-MAN: BEYOND AMAZING – THE EXHIBITION, they have reached an audience of more than seven million people worldwide, and built a strong international network within museums, science centers, cultural venues and the creative industries. More information at semmel-exhibitions.com.
