The Walt Disney Family Museum is a cool spot located in The Presidio of San Francisco, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It’s got a whopping 40,000 square foot space with all kinds of interactive galleries and a 12-foot diameter model of Disneyland.
Plus, in the lobby they’ve got 248 awards that Walt Disney won during his career on display, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a ton of Academy Awards.
Oh, and they’ve got a sweet digital Theater on the lower level too, where they screen Disney films daily- it’s inspired by the classic Disney film Fantasia.
The museum’s got ten permanent galleries, starting with Walt Disney’s roots and ending with his death in 1966.
You can check out interactive exhibits, artifacts, and personal possessions of Walt Disney’s life and career. They’ve also got pieces from Walt Disney’s Carolwood Pacific Railroad, like his beloved Lilly Belle locomotive on display. The Walt Disney Family Museum is a must-see spot for Disney fans and families that want to learn more about the man behind the magic.
Walt Disney Family Museum History
The Walt Disney Family Museum has a pretty interesting history, it’s located in the Presidio’s Main Post, an old Army base that was turned into a national park in 1994. The museum is set up in three retrofitted and expanded historic buildings, one of them being one of the iconic 1895 Montgomery Street barracks. The main museum space is massive, covering 40,000 feet. Since 2014, the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall, named in memory of Disney’s daughter, Diana, has held all the museum’s major exhibitions.
Walt Disney Family Museum Key Information
- The Walt Disney Family Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit located in the Presidio of San Francisco, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
- The museum opened on October 1, 2009 and is owned, operated, and funded by the Walt Disney Family Foundation, which is a non-profit set up by Disney’s heirs.
- The 40,000 square foot space within the main museum building has all kinds of interactive galleries like early drawings and animation, movies, music, listening stations, and a 12-foot diameter model of Disneyland.
- The lobby has 248 awards that Disney won during his career, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and many Academy Awards.
- The museum also has a Fantasia-inspired state-of-the-art digital Theater.
- Pieces related to Walt Disney’s ridable miniature Carolwood Pacific Railroad are also on display.
