Walt Disney’s career began in the world of cartooning. He envisioned himself as a cartoon artist, and in fact, drew many of the comics in his high school magazine, The Voice. With this passion, he created one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time.
In this two-week class, be prepared to rethink and reimagine ideas and designs as you learn what it takes to be an animator. Drawing, painting, and sculpting techniques will be explored alongside The 12 Principles of Animation, with an emphasis on Timing, Spacing, and Staging. Students will create multiple animation tests and a final project done in paper cut out animation.
The game is afoot! The super sleuth of rodents, Basil of Baker Street, has been hired to solve the case of the abducted toymaker. Basil’s powers of deduction will be pitted against his nemesis Professor Rattigan, animated by Glen Keane. This film is being shown in conjunction with our special exhibition Make Believe: The World of Glen Keane.
The game is afoot! The super sleuth of rodents, Basil of Baker Street, has been hired to solve the case of the abducted toymaker. Basil’s powers of deduction will be pitted against his nemesis Professor Rattigan, animated by Glen Keane. This film is being shown in conjunction with our special exhibition Make Believe: The World of Glen Keane.
In this program, Dale Baer shares his memories of the five years during which he worked with six of the Nine Old Men. Having learned some significant lessons from these masters, Baer went on to have a career in animation that included work as a lead animator.
In this fun and hands-on session, learn how to make your drawings truly come to life and put your creativity in the spotlight. An instructor will teach you step-by-step instructions on how to draw an original cartoon character. This workshop is for artists of all ages.
Take an incredible journey through the process of creating strong female characters while learning about being a woman in the animation industry today. In this two-week class, students will design their own lead character while studying narrative structure, use of fairy tales, writing tropes, and stereotypes in animation.
In this two-week class, be prepared to rethink and re-imagine ideas and designs as you learn what it takes to be an animator. Drawing, painting, and sculpting techniques will be explored alongside The 12 Principles of Animation, with an emphasis on Timing, Spacing, and Staging. Students will create multiple animation tests and a final project done in paper cut out animation.
Join us as we explore skills in animation while learning about cultures from around the world. In this two-week class, you will study diverse stories, writing tropes, and prominent figures within the animation industry. Using classical, hand-drawn animation skills, you design characters and create a...
Find animation, innovation, and inspiration in the remarkable life story of Walt Disney, the man who raised animation to an art, tirelessly pursued innovation, and created a distinctly American legacy that transformed the entertainment world. Located in the scenic Presidio of San Francisco, the museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that features contemporary, interactive galleries with state-of-the-art exhibits narrated in Walt’s own voice alongside early drawings, cartoons, films, music, a spectacular model of Disneyland, and more.

At WD-FM, we're not just any Disney podcast – we're your official connection to the magic! The Walt Disney Family Museum is privileged to house a treasure trove of Walt Disney's most cherished stories and artifacts, giving you an exclusive peek into the heart and soul of the company.
Our monthly Museum Musings keep you in the loop about all the exciting happenings at The Walt Disney Family Museum, with interviews from our passionate museum team who are dedicated to carrying on Walt Disney's legacy. Each month we host our Collections Clash, where our hosts each pick three objects on view in our galleries and you the audience get to vote on your favorites.
Our Deep Dive episodes are like stepping back in time, with exclusive audio clips from the man himself, Walt Disney, and those who worked alongside him. Plus, we're all about making Disney accessible to everyone, which is why we've turned every episode into a video podcast with closed captions available on YouTube and Facebook. Join us on this incredible journey through Disney's history, and become a true Disney expert!
Where to Subscribe
Join us for stories and conversations about the remarkable life and legacy of Walt Disney. Subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and TuneIn.

Please join us in celebrating the life of our museum co-founder, Diane Disney Miller, who passed away on this day ten years ago. Museum Executive Director, Kirsten Komoroske, reflected on Diane in our December 2014 member magazine: “More than being a philanthropist and enthusiastic supporter of the arts, Diane was her father’s daughter. A creative force with the perseverance to follow her dreams, make a difference in the world, and carry on her father’s legacy with dignity, grace, and devotion.”...

Meticulous, theme-enhancing horticulture played a starring role in the transformation of flat Anaheim farmland into Walt’s rich, immersive vision for Disneyland.
San Francisco, October 26, 2023—The Walt Disney Family Museum is pleased to announce Pawsibilities Unleashed: A Pet Portrait Exhibition. Presented concurrently with our special exhibition, Disney Cats & Dogs, this unique collection of artworks will feature portraits by local Bay Area and Disney
Our Featured Pet area showcases companions from around the world and furry friends pet pals ready for adoption from local organizations.
Due to overwhelming interest in the Featured Pet area of the exhibition, new submissions are now closed.
If you submitted a photo previously, you will be notified by email if your pet is selected for feature and be given a timeframe they will be on view.
Follow us on social media for additional opportunities to have your pet featured, including original artworks, look-a-like competitions, and more. Post photos of your pets and your experience in the exhibition using hashtag #WDFMCatsDogs
@wdfmuseum
Questions: publicprograms@wdfmuseum.org
San Francisco, October 19, 2023—To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Walt Disney Company, The Walt Disney Family Museum will be showcasing rare and unique objects from the museum’s collection, which highlight important milestones in Walt’s career and his Company’s early history

Strolling the galleries at The Walt Disney Family Museum, visitors discover how brothers Walt and Roy O. Disney formed a business partnership in October 1923. They quickly began producing animated short subjects known as the Alice Comedies from a small office in Los Angeles.