Photographs, postcards, a letter from Walt Disney, and other items from the Library’s collection are on view in “Disney100: The Exhibition” at Union Station.
Right before the entrance to the main exhibit for “Disney100: The Exhibition” at Union Station – the first display case in the “Local Connections” gallery includes objects from the Kansas City Public Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections.
Although Walt Disney made it big in California, his roots were in the Midwest.
Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1911, when he was 9. He took Saturday art classes at the Kansas City Art Institute and reportedly started drawing animals inspired by books checked out from the library.
Union Station is one of only three locations across the United States to host “Disney100: The Exhibition,” which opened May 24 and runs through January 5. President and CEO George Guastello says it provides an opportunity to celebrate Disney’s ties to Kansas City.
“This is where Walt Disney walked,” says Guastello. “This is where Mortimer Mouse, that then became Mickey Mouse, was created with (animator and cartoonist) Ub Iwerks.”
A small mouse in one of Disney’s desk drawers at Laugh-O-Gram Studio at 1127 E. 31st St. reportedly sparked the creation of Mickey Mouse – at least that’s one origin story. When the animation studio went bankrupt in 1923, Disney left for Los Angeles.
For this exhibition, Union Station partnered with local organizations with ties to Disney or with artifacts in their collection, such as the Kansas City Public Library.
One item in the gallery is a 1937 typewritten letter to acting librarian Irene Gentry.
“The letter is the real kind of gem of our library’s connection to Disney,” says Jeremy Drouin, who manages the library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections, “because he mentioned going to the library and checking out books.”
Disney wrote in the letter that he was likely to check out “any book that offered information on drawing” when he was first learning about animation. He also recalled overdue books depleting his bank account; since 2019, the library has imposed no fines.
One possible book Disney might have perused in the library’s collection: “Animals in Motion: An Electro-Photographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Muscular Actions” (1907) by Eadweard Muybridge, with photographs of animals in states of motion.
Other items on display, like 1900s postcards and a souvenir brochure of “Kansas City’s Coney Island,” highlight Electric Park, located just a short streetcar ride from where Disney’s family lived at 3028 Bellefontaine Ave.
“He’s often mentioned Electric Park as an inspiration for a lot of aspects of Disneyland and Disney World,” says Drouin, “especially the trains and the light shows at night, the parades, and things like that.”
“Walt Disney had a vision,” says Guastello. “‘If you can dream it, you can create it, you can believe it.’”
“Disney100: The Exhibition” marks the centennial of the Walt Disney Company. Ten themed galleries highlight films such as “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” (1937) and “Encanto” (2021) with visuals, audio, and interactive elements.
The exhibition features more than 250 objects, including costumes, artwork, props, and memorabilia. The script from “Steamboat Willie” (1928). The snow globe from “Mary Poppins” (1964). Captain America’s shield. Cinderella’s glass slipper.
“This exhibition goes through the 100 years of the evolution of Walt Disney, but it’s still the same,” says Guastello. “It’s still the magic, the movies, and the emotion.”
Since 2010, Becky Cline has served as director of the Walt Disney Archives, which she describes as “an amazing creative playground. I still come into work every day and get excited about the possibilities.”
The company, says Cline, started with small exhibitions at the studio and at the theme parks. Now, they organize traveling exhibitions around the world; they also have about 60 assets on loan.
“Our mission statement was always to protect and preserve the history of the Walt Disney Company,” she says. “But I added in the word share, so it’s to protect, preserve, and share the history.”
As the keeper of the library’s institutional archive, Drouin views “Disney100: The Exhibition” as another means to celebrate the library’s 150th anniversary year.
“I think it’s a great time to highlight our history,” he says, “spotlighting interesting stories, interesting anecdotes about patrons – especially such a famous patron of the library.”
Photos by Laura Spencer
