Special Exhibit

The Walt Disney Studios and World War II

Special Exhibit

 

Organized by The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, California, The Walt Disney Studios and World War II will be on display in The National WWII Museum’s Senator John Alario, Jr. Special Exhibition Hall from March 17, 2023, through September 24, 2023. This family-friendly exhibit explores how one of America’s most beloved entertainment companies helped achieve Allied victory.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the United States’ subsequent entry into World War II, Disney’s studio lot in Burbank was requisitioned as an Army anti-aircraft base. In response, Walt Disney and his staff pledged their unfaltering support to the war effort. The studio devoted over 90 percent of its wartime output to producing training, propaganda, entertainment, and public-service films, as well as publicity and print campaigns—and all without profit. The Walt Disney Studios even deployed a group of artists, including Walt Disney himself, to Latin America on a Goodwill Tour.

Through a collection of over 500 rare historical objects and film clips, this traveling exhibit will showcase collections such as “Films and Print for Training, Propaganda, and Entertainment” and “Insignia and Morale.” Not only does the exhibit include profiles of Disney employees who left their studios to join the Armed Forces, but it also highlights the remarkable American minorities who paved the way for future generations.

Access to The Walt Disney Studios and World War II is included with Museum admission.

Purchase Tickets

 

The National WWII Museum thanks the following supporters for sponsoring The Walt Disney Studios and World War II exhibit:

  • Bob and Sheryl Merrick
  • TruWealth Advisors, LLC
  • David DeVido
  • Dale E. and Janice Davis Johnston Family Foundation
  • Richard and Kathy Ramsey
  • Bobby and Sheila Weil
  • The Honorable Christine Whitman
The National WWII Museum

Museum Campus

Exhibit Location

Hall of Democracy

Explore The Campus

Museum Campus Guide

  • Louisiana Memorial Pavilion

    The Louisiana Memorial Pavilion exhibits take visitors into the monumental efforts on the Home Front and to the beaches of Normandy—focusing on the thousands of men and women who made Allied victory in World War II possible.

  • Campaigns of Courage

    In a war where the terrain was as deadly as the enemy, this pavilion tells the story of American servicemembers abroad—and how they overcame unprecedented challenges on multiple fronts to win victory in World War II. In over 19,000 square feet of exhibit space, two extraordinary exhibitions bring visitors inside the epic story of the war in its most infamous settings, bringing to life jungles, beaches, mountains, and oceans in 19 immersive galleries.

  • Solomon Victory Theater

    The Solomon Victory Theater is home to Beyond All Boundaries, a 4D cinematic experience produced exclusively for The National WWII Museum by Tom Hanks—who narrates the film—and Phil Hettema.

  • Hall of Democracy

    The Hall of Democracy represents the center of the Museum’s expanding educational outreach initiatives—providing a space that will enable the institution to share its collections, oral histories, research, and expertise with audiences across the world.

  • US Freedom Pavilion

    In World War II—the war that changed the world—freedom hung in the balance. Americans answered the call to protect that freedom with 16 million men and women serving in uniform and an untold number of citizens of all ages doing their part on the Home Front. In US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, we honor their contributions.

  • The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center

    The official Hotel of The National WWII Museum, this stunning art-deco style property offers first-class accommodations, meeting spaces, and dining options providing a sophisticated lodging experience for guests.

  • John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion

    The John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion features glass exterior walls that allow the public a permanent, behind-the-scenes view of the restoration and preservation of priceless WWII artifacts. New to the pavilion is the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Innovation Gallery, which focuses on how problems were solved during World War II through ingenuity and innovation.

  • Founders Plaza

    Founders Plaza creates an impressive entryway to the Museum campus, safe passage for Museum guests, and a pleasant setting for rest and reflection as part of the visitor experience.

  • Bollinger Canopy of Peace

    The soaring Bollinger Canopy of Peace, set to stand 150 feet tall, will unify the Museum's diverse campus and establish the Museum as a fixture on the New Orleans skyline.

  • Artists rendering of the Liberation Pavilion at the National WWII Museum

    Liberation Pavilion

    Three building levels will explore the closing months of the war and immediate postwar years, concluding with an explanation of links to our lives today.