ARLINGTON, Texas—The Arlington Museum of Art is drawing visitors of all ages with its Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume exhibition.
The exhibit, which opened Sept. 14 and runs through March 23, features original costumes from Disney films and TV shows, including Moulin Rouge, Cinderella, Once Upon a Time, and more. Along with the costume exhibit, the museum has introduced another exhibit, All That Glitters: The Crown Jewels of the Walt Disney Archives, which showcases props such as watches, rings, and crowns from the iconic franchise.
“By exhibiting these two collections concurrently, the Arlington Museum of Art comprehensively celebrates the visionary art of Disney costumes, jewelry, and accessories, and the individual artists whose talent is conveyed in every design, every stitch, and every jewel,” the museum’s website states.
Kendall Quirk, director of exhibitions, has worked at the museum since May 2019. She said the Heroes and Villains exhibit had been on the museum’s radar for some time. But due to space limitations, it was only recently able to accommodate the exhibit.
“We’d actually talked to the Walt Disney Archives previously about it,” Quirk said. “So for several years, it’s just been one of those things we really wanted to do. And moving into a new space, we had the ability to do it and added another exhibition to it—the crown jewels. It was really exciting to be able to not just do one, but both exhibitions together.”
Quirk recalled that setting up the exhibition took about three months, significantly longer than the usual setup time, which she said is typically around eight days.
All platforms housing the costumes and props were built in-house by museum staff, and all costumes were transported by the Walt Disney Archives team, fully assembled on mannequins in personal crates to prevent any damage during transit.
“It took a very long time to do, but it was really exciting to see it come to life,” Quirk said. “You know, every day we’d come downstairs and help with either painting or building, and seeing it come to life from the ground up is always a really exciting part of the process.”
Since opening in September, the exhibit has drawn visitors of all generations from across the Metroplex.
“I love the people that come in,” Madi Curtis, a museum volunteer, said. “They’re always huge Disney fans, and so many people come in costumes with their ears on. The people who come in for this one are really fun to talk to.”
The exhibit truly has something for everyone, including the crowns from Narnia, Mia’s wedding dress from The Princess Diaries and Gabriella’s iconic T necklace from High School Musical 2.
Perhaps the most incredible aspect of the exhibit is the perspective it provides. In certain areas, such as the Cinderella section, projectors display insights from the costume designers about the process of creating the costumes, allowing viewers to experience a different side of the cinematic process.
“I’m a big fan of movies and TV in general,” Ben Jessup, a patron viewing the exhibit, said. “But I don’t take a lot of time to think about how much attention to detail goes into costumes and jewelry. Just having a better appreciation for that, I think, is valuable.”
Entertainment in all forms brings people together, and this exhibit offers a chance to unite people from all walks of life to enjoy a magical journey down memory lane with Disney characters.
