Walt Disney’s Trains

This family-friendly exhibition, organized with San Francisco’s Walt Disney Family Museum, explores the influence that railroad trains had on Walt Disney‘s life and work. It also tells the story of how his railroading legacy lives on to this day in Disney films and theme parks around the world. The exhibit includes a wide variety of artifacts, firsthand accounts, archival videos, images of Walt and his trains, and one-of-a kind items, including Walt Disney’s own Carolwood gondola railroad car, an illuminated model of Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A, and a custom model train created in partnership with the Napa Valley Wine Train by the Napa Valley Model Railroad Historical Society. We learn how Walt’s passion for trains inspired Disney studio short cartoons and feature films, and influenced his personal life at home. Guest curator Michael Campbell, President Emeritus of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, constructed the exhibition to reflect Walt’s railroad journey from his early years to the creation of Disneyland and beyond, and reminds us that, over a century later, Walt’s railroading influence remains a vibrant and relevant force. Includes an exclusive audio tour created by exhibit curator Michael Campbell, narrated by longtime Disney announcer Bill Rogers, and Disney train-themed merchandise in our Museum Store.

Museum Admission (audio tour included with all paid admissions):
Members: entry is Free – audio tour is $5.00 extra
Non-Member Adults (18 to under 65): $20.00 including the audio tour
Non-Members Seniors (65+): $15.00 including the audio tour
Youth (6–17): $10.00 including the audio tour
Children (5 and under): Free
Admission Free for residents of the California Veterans Home and Active Duty Military.

Image above: Walt Disney, 1951; Collection of LOOK Magazine, photo by Earl Theisen; courtesy of the Library of Congress; © Disney

About The Walt Disney Family Museum: Find animation, innovation, and inspiration in the remarkable life story of Walt Disney, the man who raised animation to an art, tirelessly pursued innovation, and created a distinctly American legacy that transformed the entertainment world. Located in the scenic Presidio of San Francisco, the museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that features contemporary, interactive galleries with state-of-the-art exhibits narrated in Walt’s own voice alongside early drawings, cartoons, films, music, a spectacular model of Disneyland, and more. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Home for the Holidays at Carolwood on view at The Walt Disney Family Museum from November 14, 2018 to January 7, 2019. Visit www.waltdisney.org for more information.

Please note: NARMS free admission does not apply to this special exhibition. BofA Museums on Us cardholders receive discount admission on the first weekend of the month. Support for this exhibition provided by the Napa County Tourism Improvement District – Yountville and the Napa County Arts & Culture Advisory Committee, and by the Patrons and Members of the Napa Valley Museum Yountville, with the generous assistance of the Walt Disney Family Museum.