Disney’s “Heroes & Villains” Costume Exhibit Opens At MoPop On June 5th

Disney nerds are quivering in anticipation for Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume the upcoming exhibit of all things Disney costume related which opens at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) on June 5, 2021, delayed from last fall because of….well, you KNOW!

Featuring dozens of actual props and costumes from beloved Disney films including the original 1966 Mary Poppins (as well as the recent sequel) plus pieces from Maleficent, Pirates of the Caribbean and even beloved sleeper hit Hocus Pocus, the exhibit will run from June 5 to April of 2022.

PLUS, there are interactive parts of the exhibit as well so YOU can fulfill all of your dreams of being a Disney Princesss!

Or, in the case of many of you, a Disney Villain because let’s face it…villains are more FUN!

Also: while a lot of y’all like to pretend that you are a bunch of “princesses”, we also know you’re also a stone cold…

DISNEY FAN!!!!

More info:

 The Museum of Pop Culture in collaboration with the Walt Disney Archives today announced that tickets are on sale for the new exhibition, Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, opening to the public on June 5, 2021. The exhibition will immerse visitors in the world of Disney, illustrating how our understanding of its iconic characters is shaped through the artistry and creativity of its costumes. The exhibition is making its first worldwide appearance outside of Disney’s D23 Expo. More information at MoPOP.org/HeroesAndVillains.

Featuring more than 70 original pieces and spanning more than 6,000 square feet of museum space, the exhibition explores the vision, process, and craft used to create the costumes worn by some of the biggest names in entertainment. Visitors will see ball gowns, sorcerers’ capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and, of course, glass slippers, from some of Disney’s toughest villains and kindest heroes, many on custom mannequins, as well as photographs and a special film.

“Costuming is an essential element of storytelling and Heroes & Villains exemplifies the richness of character we hope our films portray,” said Becky Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives. “It has been thrilling to collaborate with MoPOP’s curators to bring a selection of the stunning pieces we have at the Walt Disney Archives to Seattle.”

Exhibition Highlights:

• Ten Cinderella pieces including ball gowns, tiaras, slippers and other accessories including a gown from 2015’s Cinderella by Sandy Powell made from more than 270 yards of fabric and adorned with over 10,000 crystals.
• Work from 19 different designers, 11 of whom are Oscar® winners and nominees: Colleen Atwood, Jenny Beavan, Jacqueline Durran, Anthony Powell, Sandy Powell, Bill Thomas, Paco Delgado, Gary Jones, Jeffrey Kurland, Judianna Makovsky, and Anna B. Sheppard.
• Maleficent dress worn by Angelina Jolie, along with her staff, designed by Anna B. Sheppard.
• Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) costumes by Penny Rose including Jack Sparrow’s outfit worn by Johnny Depp and Barbossa’s outfit worn by Geoffrey Rush — both of which were made without zippers or Velcro, as Rose wanted the construction to be authentic.
• The three witches’ dresses from Hocus Pocus (1993) worn by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy — all designed by Mary Vogt — plus the vacuum!
• The oldest costume on display is Mary Poppins’ traveling dress designed by Bill Thomas and worn by Julie Andrews in the 1964 film. It is paired with the traveling dress designed by Sandy Powell and worn by Emily Blunt in 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns.
• The newest costumes on display are four pieces from 2019’s Dumbo, designed by Colleen Atwood.

Interactive highlights:

• A “Magic Mirror” inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and designed by MoPOP, allows the visitor to virtually “try on” several of the costumes featured in the exhibition. The mirror uses touchless technology and a depth camera to sense visitors as they approach and show them how they might look as Cinderella, Maleficent, Jack Sparrow, or Mary Poppins.
• “Getting Into Character” is an interactive projection that allows visitors to explore the materials, colors, textures, and forms that costume designers use to help define a character. Guests “step into” an area where a projector detects their presence and an animated collage of materials, colors, textures, and/or patterns used to define a particular character are displayed along with information explaining the character and costume design.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle with a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community events, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. 

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES
For more than five decades, 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 in 1970, 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.

Tickets at MoPOP.org/HeroesAndVillains.