Kansas City Museum Honors Walt Disney with Centennial Exhibition Reflecting His Local Roots

Disney Exhibit a Fitting Tribute to Local Cartoonist

In an unmistakable nod to the enduring legacy of a beloved local figure, the Kansas City Museum is presently hosting the Disney 100 Exhibition. Celebrating 100 years of Disney and its profound connection to the area, the exhibition displays over 250 items chosen from the Walt Disney Archives, which include storyboards, sketches, props, and costumes.

Disney Left an Indelible Mark on Kansas City

Walt Disney, a renowned pioneer in animation, left Kansas City a century ago to look for opportunities in the entertainment capital of Los Angeles. Despite this, his ties to the city were never severed. The entrance to the museum’s exhibition illustrates this relationship, depicting various Disney artifacts from the archives of Hallmark Cards, the Kansas City Public Library, and the National Miniature & Toy Museum. Items showcasing early Mickey Mouse toys illustrate Disney’s design prowess.

The Humble Beginnings of a World-Conquering Empire

The transition from clean sheets of paper to globally recognized cultural icons is the central narrative of the exhibition. Disney and his collaborator, Ub Iwerks, began bringing their vibrant imaginations to life right here in Kansas City. Initially, financial troubles abruptly ended the duo’s first venture, Laugh-O-gram Films, but this did not deter them. After Disney moved to California, Iwerks joined him, and they created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Disney’s first character.

Steps Forward in Animation and Technology

The exhibition showcases the revolutionary steps Disney took in the fields of animation and technology. An animatronic Grogu, known to most as Baby Yoda, is sure to amaze visitors with its lifelike movements and mannerisms, going from suddenly waking up to slowly drifting off to sleep. “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing-that it was all started by a mouse,” the words of Walt Disney echo throughout the exhibition, reminding visitors of the humble origins of the Disney empire.

Family-Friendly Interactions

Youngsters will adore the interactive elements of the exhibition, including posing with Goofy, playing snippets of their favorite Disney movie songs on a touch screen, or pretending to ride a Disneyland teacup. Fans of Star Wars and Marvel Comics are also catered to, with numerous props from both franchises available for viewing.

Overall, the Disney 100 Exhibition pays tribute to Walt Disney’s creative genius and his indissociable relationship with Kansas City. It brings together elements of history, culture, nostalgia, and forward-thinking technology that both display and celebrate the past and present of Disney.

The Exhibition Details

The Disney 100: The Exhibition is now open at Union Station in the Bank of America Gallery and will stay open through November 30th. Admission tickets are available at the Union Station box office or can be pre-ordered online. The Union Station’s website also offers information about the Disney 100 Speaker Series, which is co-presented by UMKC and the Missouri Humanities Council.