WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM’S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY Programs, Activities, Screenings, and Special Events

Once again the Walt Disney Family Museum is presenting some amazing events and programs to celebrate the five year anniversary. If you've got the opportunity to visit the WDFM in October, go for it!

THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM’S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

Programs, Activities, Screenings, and Special Events

This coming October, come celebrate our fifth anniversary here at The Walt Disney Family Museum! On October 1, 2009, Diane Disney Miller first welcomed guests to explore the life, work, and legacy of her father Walt Disney: an entertainer, risk-taker, and innovator who helped define 20th-century America. In recognition, we've planned a month full of special events, captivating programming, hands-on activities, after hour parties, and so much more. For more information, a full schedule of events, and tickets, please visit waltdisney.org/anniversary.

SPECIAL EVENTS

OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY!

Wednesday, Oct 1 | 10am–8pm (special extended hours)

$10 admission after 6pm

On the anniversary of our opening five years ago, we’ll be extending our hours to 8pm in celebration. Enjoy special programming all day long, in the galleries, and in the Learning Center. All galleries will be open and animated shorts will be featured in the theater. We’ll have something special exclusively for members, too. Beginning at 6pm, enjoy treats from food trucks and half-priced admission.

SPECIAL EVENT | Animate Your Night: Haunted Mansion Halloween

Friday, Oct 24 | 7–10pm

$12 members | $15 non-members

Pirates, ghosts, ghouls, and a New Orleans vibe inhabit the walls of the museum throughout this after-hours party. Celebrate our fifth anniversary in costume and enjoy the final weeks of our special exhibition, Marc Davis: Leading Ladies and Femmes Fatales, featuring a selection of Davis’ famous Haunted Mansion paintings. Creepy crafts and feisty food help conjure good spirits for the Halloween season. Look alive!

MEMBERS ONLY EVENT | Tinker Bell Tea with Mindy Johnson

Saturday, Oct 4 | 10am–3pm

$75 adults, includes book Tinker Bell: An Evolution

$40 children 9 years and under, includes a specially chosen book for younger readers

Meet, greet, and enjoy a lovely day with Mindy Johnson—author of Tinker Bell: An Evolution. This event begins with an intimate presentation and personalized book signing in the theater, followed by tea, lunch, and tasty desserts and conversation with our special guest. After lunch, you’ll be treated to reserved seating for an afternoon showing of Peter Pan.

BOOK SIGNING | Mindy Johnson, Author of Tinker Bell: An Evolution

Saturday, Oct 4 | 3–5pm

Books sold in the museum store. Signing is FREE and open to the public.

Mindy Johnson will be available book signing in our Awards Lobby. Our very special guest has achieved success as an author, historian, educator, musician, songwriter, playwright and much more. She will be signing copies of her critically acclaimed book, Tinker Bell: An Evolution (produced in conjunction with Disney’s Animation Research Library and Disney Editions), which was recently honored with a 2014 Family Choice Award.

MEMBERS ONLY EVENT | Anniversary Open House

Friday, Oct 10 | 6:30–10pm open house reception, 7pm presentation

$35 open house reception only | $45 open house reception & presentation

The museum opens its doors to members and their guests for a special evening celebration of our fifth anniversary. Enjoy the galleries after-hours, musical entertainment, food and drink, and an exclusive video retrospective of the making of the museum. Limited tickets are also available to join Disney historians and museum founding consultants Jeff Kurtti and Paula Sigman Lowery for a special presentation about the history of the museum and working with Diane Disney Miller to pull it all together, followed by a Q&A. Our Walt’s Circle donors and Supporter and Friend members are welcome to enjoy dessert during a private meet and greet with Jeff and Paula in the Learning Center at 8:30pm. Presentation tickets are limited.

LEARNING CENTER OPEN HOUSE
Monday–Sunday, Oct 13–19 | 1–6pm
FREE with special exhibition admission
Join us in the Learning Center to celebrate the art and animation created here over the past five years and try your own hand at some of our favorite activities.

Ron and Diane Miller tour the construction of the Walt Disney Family Museum.

SCREENINGS

FILMS OF THE MONTH

In celebration of our five years, enjoy a new screening in our theater every week in October.

Peter Pan

Oct 1–5 | 1:30 & 4pm

Fly away to Never Land with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and friends for adventures with pirates and a hungry crocodile.

The Best of Mickey Mouse

Oct 6–­12 | 1:30 & 4pm

Enjoy a compilation of shorts featuring America’s favorite mouse and ambassador of The Walt Disney Company.

Donald Duck and Friends

Oct 13–19 | 1:30 & 4pm

This entertaining collection of shorts stars one Disney’s most beloved cartoon characters and his partners in fun.

Hallowscreen!

Oct 20–31 | 1:30 & 4pm

A spoooooky line-up of hair-raising shorts featuring breakthrough animation techniques and some of Walt’s most memorable characters.

DISCUSSIONS

SPOTLIGHT TALKS | The History of The Walt Disney Family Museum

Wednesday - Sunday, Oct 1–5 | 11am, 1 & 3pm
FREE with special exhibition admission
Beginning October 1, 2009, visitors from around the world journeyed to the Presidio of San Francisco to experience the life story of Walt Disney in a new and inspiring way. On the occasion of our fifth anniversary, join our museum educators as they share the fascinating story of how the museum itself came to be.

TALK | The Walt Disney Family Museum: From Dream to Reality

Saturday, Oct 11 | 3pm

$18 members | $20 non-members | $15 youth (ages 17 & under)

During the crucial period of project development for The Walt Disney Family Museum, authors and Disney historians Jeff Kurtti and Paula Sigman Lowery worked closely with museum founder Diane Disney Miller in determining the overall story and content for the museum’s ten galleries. Join these two leading authorities for a talk about the creation of Walt’s museum, their experiences with Diane, and the challenge to bring her dream to life.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Walt’s Circle, Supporter, and Friend level members receive exclusive, early access to purchase tickets for all anniversary events until the public on sale date of Monday, August 4 at 10am. To reserve your tickets today, call 415.345.6829 or email membership@wdfmuseum.org; tickets are not available for purchase at the museum ticket desk until the public on sale date.

Don’t miss out! Join or upgrade your membership at the Friend level or above to secure your tickets now.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM January Exhibitions, Programs, and Events

The Walt Disney Family Museum always offers some amazing exhibits and programs. If you're in the area, I would urge you to stop in and enjoy the Museum and everything it has to offer.

I reviewed the amazing book, the Fairest One of All by J Kaufman at Mice Chat.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

January Exhibitions, Programs, and Events

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic

Now through April 14, 2013 | Special Exhibition Hall

Special ticket price for Snow White: $10 general | Special combination ticket which includes general museum admission: $25 adults; $20 seniors and students; $15 children ages 6 to 17.

On view through April 14, 2013, The Walt Disney Family Museum’s special exhibition celebrates Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The exhibition showcases more than 200 works of art including conceptual drawings, early character studies, detailed story sketches, and animation drawings. Also featured are delicate thumbnail layout watercolors, meticulously rendered pencil layouts, rare watercolor backgrounds, colorful cels, and vintage posters all illustrating how Walt Disney advanced the creation of an entirely new art form.

Generous support provided by Wells Fargo.

Between Frames: The Magic Behind Stop Motion Animation

Now through April 28, 2013 | Theater Gallery

Free for members or with Museum admission

Between Frames explores the evolution of stop motion animation in the United States in special effects, television, and film. The exhibition highlights behind-the-scenes photographs, rare armatures and puppets, and original storyboards from cult favorite films and television including King Kong, Gumby, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Robot Chicken, and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and showcases stop motion innovators like Ray Harryhausen, Phil Tippett, Will Vinton, Tim Burton, Henry Selick, and more.

SCREENINGS + DISCUSSIONS

Film of the Month: Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Screens 1/1–31, daily at 1:30pm (except Tuesdays and 1/19) | Theater

Free for members or with Museum admission | Without Museum admission: $7 adult; $5 youth

Additional screening: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Screens 1/1–31, daily at 4pm (except Tuesdays and 1/19) | Theater

Free for members or with Museum admission | Without Museum admission: $7 adult; $5 youth

The Disney Classics: Preserving Walt’s Vision

Saturday, January 19 | 3pm | Theater

General: $20 adult; $15 youth | Members: $18 adult; $14 youth

Perhaps no other film library showcases Americana more than the one created by The Walt Disney Studios. Ever careful to preserve this collection for future generations to enjoy, the Disney Studios has maintained the pioneering spirit of Walt’s dedication to exploring new technologies.

Theodore Gluck, the Studios’ Director of Library Restoration and Preservation, will present an exclusive look inside the processes used to bring these beloved films to a contemporary world. Starting with the development of Technicolor and continuing through the early days of CinemaScope, Gluck will demonstrate the challenges now faced by the Studio Restoration Team as they work to restore these world-renowned films to their original splendor.

(This program is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s feature exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic).

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

Look Closer

Friday–Sunday, January 25–27

11am, 1 & 3pm | Between Frames exhibition | Free with paid special exhibition admission

Hear expert highlights of our special exhibition, Between Frames: The Magic Behind Stop-Motion Animation.

CLASSES + ACTIVITIES

Learn from the Masters Series: The Conservation and Preservation of Animation Cels with Martin Salazar (Lecture and Tour)

Saturday, January 19 | 10am–noon | Learning Center and Special Exhibition Hall

General: $40 adult; $30 student (valid student ID required) | Members: $35

Drawing from The Walt Disney Family Museum’s collection of priceless Disney animation cels, Museum art conservator Martin Salazar will discuss how these cels were first created, explain the causes of cel deterioration, and demonstrate techniques he has developed to care for these treasures. Salazar will also discuss the ethical challenges faced by institutions when attempting to preserve fragile artifacts. The lecture will conclude with a guided tour of the Museum’s first major exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic. Salazar will be assisted by Museum conservation technician Harvey Newman.

This class is for participants ages 18+, all levels of experience. Space is limited. Registration required. Email: education@wdfmuseum.org to register or for more info.

Learn from the Masters Series: Stop Motion Puppet Construction with Ruben Esqueda (Class)

Saturday, January 26 | 10am–1pm | Learning Center

General: $55 adult; $35 student (valid student ID required) | Members: $45

Ruben Esqueda, independent filmmaker and animation mentor since 1998, will lead a hands-on four-hour master class for animators at all levels of experience. Participants will learn the process of building a professional quality stop motion puppet armature, which will be ready for use in animation by the end of the class. Participants will also learn other types of puppet construction including wood, ball and socket, and prefabricated toy puppet armatures. The class will involve the use of wire-cutting materials and epoxy, so comfortable dress is recommended.

This class is for participants ages 18+, all levels of experience. Space is limited. Registration required. Email: education@wdfmuseum.org to register or for more info.

Open Studio

Saturday–Sunday, January 5–6, & 12–13

1–3pm | Learning Center | Free for members or with Museum admission

Create stop motion animation in our Media Studio and try your hand at two early steps of creating an animated film—storyboards and concept art—in our Art Studio.

New Book: Picturing the Walt Disney Family Museum

Just released is a gorgeous book celebrating the Walt Disney Family Museum. What has me most excited is the opportunity to finally see images from inside the WDFM, since cameras are not allowed!

It all started with a visit to San Francisco. When photographer Jim Smith—whose body of work includes contributions to more than 100 books—discovered The Walt Disney Family Museum, he was immediately captivated by Walt’s life story and the rich visuals that bring it to life. Jim proposed a photo book to Museum executive director Richard Benefield that would provide a great souvenir of our state-of-the-art galleries and exhibits, not to mention our stunning location near the Golden Gate Bridge. Given a green light by the Museum, Jim returned with two talented colleagues, Stephen Titra and Mike Vasiliauskas, who committed to seven days with an unusual shooting schedule: very early mornings before the Museum opened to visitors, and very late nights after the Museum had closed.

Working with every department from Collections to Facilities, Jim trained his professional eye on art, objects, artifacts, trains, cameras, and interactives – transforming them all with precise lighting set-ups and some post-production magic. The book, designed by Frank Kofsuske, Georgina Lee, and Yolanda de Montijo at EmDash, not only takes you inside an imaginative Museum but also reveals Walt Disney’s extraordinary journey. Text is by Richard Benefield with an introduction by Diane Disney Miller. 



The book retails for $34.95 and can be purchased in the Museum Store, or online at www.waltdisney.org.

What: Picturing: The Walt Disney Family Museum. New Photo Book exclusively for The Walt Disney Family Museum. Photos by Jim Smith. Text by Richard Benefield, with a foreword from Diane Disney Miller.

Price: $34.95 each

Website: www.waltdisney.org
www.facebook.com/thewaltdisneyfamilymuseum
http://wdfmuseum.squarespace.com/picturing

Main Phone: 415-345-6800

Press contact: Marsha Robertson / Andrea Wang
The Walt Disney Family Museum
415-345-6822 / 415-345-6816
mrobertson@wdfmuseum.org / awang@wdfmuseum.org

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