Walt Disney Family Museum Celebrates 10 Years With Mickey Mouse
By Suzanne Lee
February 2, 2019
The Walt Disney Family Museum hosted a media preview to highlight what to expect during the yearlong celebration of its 10th anniversary. Each month one of the Museum’s nine galleries will be spotlighted so guests can learn more about that room’s collection. The Museum’s educational programs are being expanded and increasingly accessible to youth, like virtual tours to those who can’t go in person. There will be plenty of community events such as Family Access Day on March 9, and additional prizes will be awarded in this year’s Teen Animation Festival International. This year’s special exhibition is “Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World,” which runs from May 16th through January 6th, 2020.Following founder Diane Disney Miller’s lead, a key component of the Museum’s mission is providing a platform for underrepresented populations to tell their stories. Currently featured in the lower lobby gallery are Mickey and Minnie paintings Diane purchased from Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, a studio for artists with disabilities. For the 10th anniversary, Antonia Dapena-Tretter, Senior Manager of Student and Community Engagement at the Museum, is spearheading an exhibition called “A Powerful Force: Working to End Homelessness Through Art.” The title is derived from a quote from Walt Disney: “There is great comfort and inspiration in this feeling of close human relationships and its bearing on our mutual fortunes – a powerful force to overcome the tough breaks which are certain to come for most of us from time to time.” To encourage the community to be a part of the powerful force of change locally, the Museum is partnering with Raphael House and Youth Spirit Artworks, programs that help provide shelter and job training for homeless people.
Mickey artwork from Creative Growth Art Center artists
When the Museum was in the planning stages, Diane already knew she wanted to do a Mickey Mouse exhibition, and mentioned to Andreas Deja that she wanted him to curate it. Fast forward a decade and Andreas is about to make her dream come true with “Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World,” chronicling Mickey’s lasting global appeal. Over 400 items ranging from cels and story sketches to international Mickey figurines and comics will be on display to show his impact and influence on art and entertainment. There will be a section dedicated to how “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was developed to re-establish Mickey as the star over any other Disney character. Muralist and “Bob’s Burgers” original background designer Sirron Norris has been commissioned to do a special piece in black and white to emphasize the importance of line drawings. His work celebrates the Museum, its past shows, the impact the Eyvind Earle show had on him, the future of the Museum, the historical significance of the Presidio, and bringing Mickey to San Francisco. The Mickeys he drew are from different eras, and there are 12 hidden Mickey ears.
During the opening weekend of the Mickey exhibition, there will be a special presentation on May 18 called “Voicing an Icon: Mickey Talks with Bret Iwan.” It will be presented at 11am and 3pm. Other programming to keep an eye out for include: “More Than a Silly Symphony: Music in Films” with composer Michael Giacchino, “Love Letter to Walt’s Legacy” with director Kevin Lima, and “The Beauty and Legacy of Fantasia” with composer and conductor Fabrizio Mancinelli. The “Wonderful World of Women” kicks off an after-hours nightlife series on Friday, March 29. Author and historian Mindy Johnson will give a special presentation about the women from the Ink and Paint department. Other themes for the year will be “Summer Mouse Party” on June 6, and “Tiki Halloween” on October 25.
The words and legacy of Walt Disney and those closest to him live on through the recently launched podcast WD-FM hosted by Caroline Quinn and Bri Bertolaccini. Every Wednesday, rare or never before heard interviews will be shared. The first two podcasts feature exclusive interviews with Diane Disney Miller. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 10 wonderful years for the Walt Disney Family Museum and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for its great, big, beautiful tomorrow!
The Walt Disney Family Museum
104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio
San Francisco, CA 94129
415.345.6800