The logo for the Walt Disney Archives 55th anniversary, set on a black background, features a 1920s-era, black-and-white-style Mickey Mouse in gray shorts holding a pencil next to a large number “55” set in gray. Below these icons is a logo reading “Walt Disney Archives” in white. Below it is a white line separating the slogan “Preserving the Magic,” with “1970–2025” on the bottom line.

Walt Disney Archives Celebrates 55 Years of Preserving the Magic

Live events, presentations, exhibitions, and digital engagements will celebrate the Disney legacy, memories, and magic.

This summer, the Walt Disney Archives is proud to unveil a milestone anniversary celebration honoring 55 years of collecting, preserving, and showcasing the magic of The Walt Disney Company. Since its founding on June 22, 1970, the Walt Disney Archives has been the home of countless stories and treasures that have delighted and inspired generations, and Disney fans are invited to take part in a series of events, exhibitions, and other special engagements beginning June 1 that spotlight the department’s rich legacy.

Special Events & Exhibitions Calendar

The logo for an upcoming D23 event features the “D23 Spotlight Series” logo and “Walt Disney Archives 55th Anniversary Celebration” text along the left, set on a red background with sunburst pattern. Below this text is the Walt Disney Archives 55th anniversary logo, featuring a 1920s-era, black-and-white-style Mickey Mouse in gray shorts holding a pencil next to a large number “55” set in gray. Below these icons is a logo reading “Walt Disney Archives” in white. Below the Archives logo is a white line separating the slogan “Preserving the Magic,” with “1970–2025” on the bottom line. On the right is a collage of images set in grayscale with a single element (representing an object from the Walt Disney Archives collection) in color. Within this framework (counterclockwise, from top left) are a color Winnie the Pooh doll, with a live-action adult Christopher Robin in grayscale (from Christopher Robin, 2018); a color BB-8 droid from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019); a color pair of glass slippers representing the live-action film Cinderella (2015); a black-and-white image of Walt Disney from the early 1930s, featuring a Charlotte Clark Mickey Mouse doll set in color, with red shorts and revealing a yellow glove; and three green-hued Hitchhiking Ghosts figures from the Haunted Mansion attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, seated in a grayscale Doom Buggy ride vehicle and set in an ornate mirror frame.

Special Events

As part of the all-new D23 Spotlight Series, the Walt Disney Archives 55th Anniversary Celebration invites D23 Gold Members to join a behind-the-scenes exploration of how the Archives collects, preserves, and shares thousands of historical treasures from its vast collection. With events scheduled at both the Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California (click here for details), and at AMC Disney Springs 24 in Orlando, Florida (click here for details), fans will get a first glimpse at some of the Archives’ latest projects through a series of fascinating presentations and panel discussions. In addition, Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline and special guests will be the hosts at an intimate Walt Disney Archives 55th Anniversary Luncheon, also scheduled for this June at Walt Disney World® Resort!

A vibrant promotional image for the “Charting the Course” event presented by the Walt Disney Archives at the upcoming Destination D23 event. The background is a lime green landscape with yellow and orange accents that evokes nature and exploration. There are triangle graphics resembling mountains, clouds, and waves, and dotted orange lines with star accents throughout. In the center is a large light yellow spark shape evoking a compass on a muted background red and blue. On the graphic is the event title, with “Charting the Course” in a curved red-brown font with the “i” in “Charting” being replaced by a yellow starburst. “Disney’s Global Stories & Inspirations” is written on a red-brown banner graphic near the bottom of the compass.

Exhibitions

Among the exciting experiences offered at Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney – Presented by Lug this August, the Walt Disney Archives is proud to present Charting the Course: Disney’s Global Stories & Inspirations, an all-new exhibit exploring how the world around us sparks creativity in Disney storytelling. Through an incredible selection of photography, artwork, and dimensional artifacts, D23 Gold Members will follow Disney creatives on an artistic journey culminating in a dynamic showcase of Disney stories inspired by diverse cultures and breathtaking landscapes. For more information on the exhibit and Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney, click here.

Fans can also see historical Disney treasures up close as part of the Archives’ robust touring exhibitions program. Presented through October 26 at the South Carolina State Museum, Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume features an impressive display of some 70 iconic costumes worn by beloved characters, from Cinderella to Maleficent, highlighting the artistry of costume design. And throughout 2025, the Walt Disney Archives and Semmel Exhibitions continue the global tour of Disney100: The Exhibition, a landmark, 15,000-square-foot experience featuring more than 250 rarely seen artifacts, works of art, costumes, props, and other “crown jewels” of The Walt Disney Company in imaginatively themed galleries.

Special Presentations & Engagements 

The staff of the Walt Disney Archives is excited to engage with fans at a variety of special programs throughout the year. From Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney – Presented by Lug and D23 Gold Theater virtual events to surprise appearances on select Disney Cruise Line sailings in 2025, you never know where the Archives team might appear next to offer an inside look at Disney’s many historical realms.

Two spreads from the quarterly D23 publication, Disney twenty-three, reveal stories presented by the Walt Disney Archives. On the left is page featuring a large, sepia-toned image of Walt Disney in the year 1940, standing in his office at the new Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and looking outside at the lot under construction, where the Disney studio water tower is also pictured. Joining Walt are illustrated characters from Pinocchio (1940), including Pinocchio, who is standing on series of stacked boxes and wood blocks to reach Walt’s height and peer outside. Standing along the window frame is Jiminy Cricket, also looking outside. At the bottom of the base of Pinocchio’s self-made stairs is the cat Figaro, looking up and smiling. To the right of this page is another article from the publication, with an “Ask the Walt Disney Archives” series logo on the top left and featuring a variety of questions from D23 Members and answers from the Archives staff, all in small text. Accompanying the text are three supporting images relevant to each question (clockwise from top-left): a grayscale photo of radio, television, and/or film personalities Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings, and Art Linkletter from the opening of Disneyland Park in July 1955; a 1927-era colorful map illustration of Playland at Rye Beach in Westchester County New York; and a color photo from the former Mickey’s Toontown Fair area at Walt Disney World, featuring a red barn and a marquee for Wacky Radio, featuring a graphic of the station’s rooster host (incidentally named Red Barns).

Disney twenty-three Quarterly Publication

D23 Gold Members can discover even more magic from the Walt Disney Archives in Disney twenty-three, the quarterly publication of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. With a new digital edition available to D23 Gold Members, and with the print edition available for purchase on DisneyStore.com, each issue features unique storytelling, perspectives, and rarely seen photography from the Archives, including the engaging “Ask the Walt Disney Archives” and “Down the Rabbit Hole: The Disney You Didn’t Know” series.

A series of four mobile device wallpapers is mocked up, each featuring an historical image set in grayscale with a single element (representing an object from the Walt Disney Archives collection) in color. Each mobile device mockup features a “lock” symbol on top with the large time set to 22:33. On the bottom of each graphic is the Walt Disney Archives 55th anniversary logo, featuring a 1920s-era, black-and-white-style Mickey Mouse in gray shorts holding a pencil next to a large number “55” set in gray. Below these icons is a logo reading “Walt Disney Archives” in white. Below the Archives logo is a white line separating the slogan “Preserving the Magic,” with “1970–2025” on the bottom line. From left to right, the represented images and assets are: a grayscale Walt Disney holding a large, tan-colored oversized book (titled “Mickey Mouse: His Book”) from the Disneyland television series; a color pair of glass slippers representing the live-action film Cinderella (2015); a color Winnie the Pooh doll, with a live-action adult Christopher Robin in grayscale (from Christopher Robin, 2018); and three green-hued Hitchhiking Ghosts figures from the Haunted Mansion attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, seated in a grayscale Doom Buggy ride vehicle and set in an ornate mirror frame.

Digital Downloads: Walt Disney Archives 55th Anniversary Mobile Wallpaper

Disney fans can begin celebrating 55 years of the Walt Disney Archives today with a collection of downloadable phone wallpapers! Debuting the Archives’ brand-new 55th anniversary logo, each graphic spotlights a carefully selected “crown jewel” from the vast collections of the Walt Disney Archives that will be the focus of upcoming live events and digital content throughout the celebration:

  • Mickey Mouse Plush Doll, manufactured by Charlotte Clark (ca. 1930)
  • Glass Slippers, Cinderella (2015)
  • Winnie the Pooh Live-Action Reference Stand-In, Christopher Robin (2018)
  • BB-8, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
  • Hitchhiking Ghosts, Haunted Mansion attraction, Walt Disney World® Resort (1971)
  • Prop Storybook (“Mickey Mouse – His Book”), Disneyland television series (1954)
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About the Walt Disney Archives

Since its founding on June 22, 1970, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company's history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney's correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt's personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.