In celebration of 2023 marking the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, SC Exhibitions has begun production on an exhibition that will showcase the company’s history and legacy. The new exhibition will premiere at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia in February 2023, according to D23.
- Hundreds of historical Disney artifacts from The Walt Disney Archives will be featured in this new exhibition.
- The exhibition will also feature an immersive environment of sight and sound spanning 15,000 square feet, showcasing stories and characters from The Walt Disney Company’s last century.
- This marks the third collaboration between SC Exhibitions and Studio TK, a Berlin-based collective of architects, visual artists, and experts of entertainment technology.
- The yet-untitled exhibition is currently being referred to as the “Disney Centennial” exhibition and will launch in February 2023 at The Franklin Institute.
- A second parallel staging for territories outside the U.S. is also set to have its global premiere the following month.
What they’re saying:
- Rebecca Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives: “As we approach the 100th Anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, we at the Walt Disney Archives are incredibly excited about traveling a new and unique exhibit marking a century of unparalleled innovation and storytelling with the world. This groundbreaking exhibition will celebrate the wonder of Disney, from 1923 to the present and into the future.”
- Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute: “The Franklin Institute is thrilled to debut this world premiere exhibition in Philadelphia during the remarkable 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company. We look forward to celebrating the legacy of a creative empire synonymous with imaginative storytelling, innovation, discovery, and wonder that spans generations and delivers widespread, undeniable global appeal.”
- Historian and Co-Curator Paula Sigman Lowery: “It’s thrilling to bring Disney’s crown jewels—art, memorabilia, costumes, props, and one-of-a kind treasures—to public view—and to explore the story of one of the world’s most creative entertainment companies. Many of these objects have never before been seen outside the company’s archival, animation, and Imagineering vaults.”
- Studio TK exhibition designer Tobias Kunz: “It’s great to work at The Franklin Institute again, where our ‘Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes’ exhibit drew hundreds of thousands of visitors in summer 2019 to the galleries. It’s a big honor to develop the design for the 100th anniversary exhibit of The Walt Disney Company with the Walt Disney Archives.”