The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland is now available in stores. This incredible book by Disney Legend Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt takes a deep dive into the early days of Disneyland. This is a must-read book for Disney fans! Soon, The Walt Disney Family Museum will be presenting Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Story as an exhibit. The exhibit will open on Friday, November 14, in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries. It is being curated by Disney Legend Don Hahn with Museum Director of Collections and Exhibitions Marina Villar Delgado. The exhibit is inspired by the book by Hahn and Merritt.

Here is the official description of this new exhibit:

On July 17, 1955, an estimated 90 million viewers—more than half the population of the United States at that time—tuned in to their television sets to watch the grand opening of Disneyland on ABC. By the time it was unveiled to the public, Walt Disney and his collaborators had been developing the Park for more than two years and gathering inspiration for the better part of a decade. Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Story will showcase the ideas, designs, and artworks behind the fascinating evolution of Walt’s first theme park—explored through the lens of his relentless imagination.

Guests will discover historic objects from the Park, early concept art, designs for both realized and unrealized attractions, costume development illustrations, stunning hand-drawn maps, and rarely seen historical photographs that chronicle the production, realization, and early guest experiences that Walt envisioned and pioneered. The special exhibition’s interactive elements will also provide a more in-depth look at the Park’s original attractions and the creative risks that defined them.

Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Story opens to the public on Friday, November 14, 2025. It will remain open through April 19, 2026, in The Walt Disney Family Museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries. Entry into the special exhibition will be free with general admission. There is a suggested donation of $5 to support the museum’s initiative to present world-class original exhibitions.

What do you think of this new exhibit coming to The Walt Disney Family Museum? Have you read the book by Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt? What are you most excited about with this new exhibit? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!