First look inside Disney100: The Exhibition at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute
PHILADELPHIA -- It was a magical day at the Franklin Institute in Center City, Philadelphia for the world premiere of Disney100: The Exhibition.
More than 250 of Disney's crown jewels are on display to celebrate a century of Walt Disney's spirit and storytelling.
"Everything is based on what Walt Disney himself did," said Becky Cline, the director of the Walt Disney Archives. "So, we decided to have Walt host the exhibit."
The exhibit features objects and artifacts from Disney's collection, from costumes from blockbuster films to props like the spell book from "Hocus Pocus."
"The magic is everywhere, the sounds, the sights," says Tim Tan from Edison, New Jersey.
Tan is a member of the D23 Fan Club. They were invited for the exclusive preview.
There are artifacts from Walt's vault and items straight from the theme parks, like the ride vehicle from Peter Pan's flight and a Matterhorn Bobsled.
Bob Gurr designed it, along with the very first Monorail.
"I'm getting to live it all over again in very great detail across this entire exhibit," Gurr said.
Each gallery is dedicated to Walt's spirit and his beloved stories.
"Storytelling is really the secret sauce of Disney," said Don Hahn, a legendary producer at Walt Disney Studios. "I've been the luckiest guy on earth because I get to work with these great people and kind of wrangle them into making movies like "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast."
"The exhibit is amazing, so inspiring," said 12-year-old Emma Holstein from Langhorne, Pennsylvania. "It's so incredible."
Tickets for the exhibition are on sale now.
"We've already even sold tickets to people in Thailand," said Larry Dubinski, President & CEO of The Franklin Institute. "We're expecting people coming from everywhere to see this exhibition."
Disney100: The Exhibition officially opens Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Franklin Institute. It runs through August 27.
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