The Walt Disney Family Museum has announced a new exhibition celebrating the work of Disney Legend Mary Blair, set to open next month.
Mary Blair Exhibition at Walt Disney Family Museum
Mary Blair: Mid-Century Magic, will explore “the creative vision and achievements of one of Walt Disney’s most imaginative and renowned designers and art directors.”
Blair joined Disney in 1941 on an expedition that toured South America for three months. Because her watercolors captured the spirit of the Latin countries so well, she was named art supervisor on “The Three Caballeros” and “Saludos Amigos.” Since then, Blair’s color and style influenced other Disney post-war productions, including “Make Mine Music,” “Melody Time,” “So Dear to My Heart,” “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad,” “Cinderella,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Peter Pan.” She also contributed to shorts, including “The Little House” and “Susie, the Little Blue Coupe.”
Walt later asked Blair to assist in the design of “it’s a small world” for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Over the years, Blair contributed to the design of several exhibits, attractions, and murals for Disneyland and Walt Disney World, including the murals in the Grand Canyon Concourse at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Running from May 22 through September 7, 2025, this will be a reimagining of the 2014 exhibition — Magic, Color, Flair: the world of Mary Blair. Curated by The Walt Disney Family Museum’s Director of Collections & Exhibitions Marina villar-Delgado and based on the original exhibition created by award-winning animated and animation historian John Canemaker, this new display celebrates Blair’s career and highlights an expanded selection of works from her later collaborations with Walt Disney on theme park and resort installations, including attractions, facades, and murals.
Mary Blair: Mid-Century Magic will feature nearly 150 artworks and historical photographs spanning her career with Disney, and guests will be able to enjoy hands-on Mary Blair-themed art activities and use their phones for augmented reality (AR) interactive elements.
The new exhibition will be located in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries. Entry is free with general admission to the museum, though there is a suggested donation of $5. There will also be an exclusive screening in the museum’s theater during the exhibition that will include a collection of rare film footage and animated clips; more information on this offering will be announced at a later date.
The Walt Disney Family Museum is located in San Francisco, California. To learn more, visit WaltDisney.org.
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