Walt Disney Museum Presidio
In being
adapted for use as the
This month, workers are busy converting three historic buildings in
"People are very surprised," says Carolyn Kiernat, principal at Page & Turnbull,
the
Two years ago, Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Miller, and her husband, Ron, asked
Jay Turnbull to design a museum near their home in
The family found the site ideal, Kiernat says. "Walt Disney was a huge fan of
the military and Gen. Pershing [who commanded the Presidio] in particular." In
addition, she says, the museum building "recalls the Main Street USA in Disney
World."
Construction began in May on the 1897 barracks, which, along with a
glass-and-steel addition, will serve as the exhibit hall. A 1904 gym will become
offices and archives, and a 1940s munitions shed will house the complex's
mechanical systems.
All three buildings, and many others that make up the National Historic
Landmark, have been abandoned since 1994. Last year the museum signed a 40-year
lease for the federal property.
"We're working very closely with the [nonprofit] Presidio Trust to make sure we
don't damage or remove any historic fabric," says Lada Kocherovsky of Page &
Turnbull.
Enclosed by a courtyard, the new addition will have views of the
"We were trying to take some cues from the historic building as far as height,
but really our approach was one of subtle contrast," Kiernat says.
Source: Nationaltrust.org
Some Highlights from the Collection of the
The proposed
Red Cross Ambulance
One prized possession in the collection is a Ford Red Cross ambulance, similar
to the one that Walt drove while working as a Red Cross volunteer in the
aftermath of World War I. Using an ambulance just like the one shown here, Walt
drove officers and supplies all over northern France.
Walt Disney with Original Ambulance
Walt's Miniatures
Walt was always fascinated by miniatures, and collected them from all over the
world. At one point, Walt even planned to have a miniature traveling exhibit
that would have been called "Disneylandia." This table set is an example of
Walt's extensive private collection. The Museum exhibit will also include this
exquisite model of the Mark Twain, a
Mark Twain Disneyland, USA.
Animator's Desk
Animator's work desk from the Burbank Studio, specially designed by the
industrial designer Kem Weber under Walt's personal supervision–as was every
detail of the new Studio. The desk was specifically designed for the task of
animation, with such handy features as a backlit glass platen on which the
animator could place his drawings as he worked.
The Red Car
The sleek red sports car was one of 40 Autopia vehicles introduced at
The Lilly Belle
Another prized possession is the Lilly Belle, Walt's miniature train which was
designed for his new home on
Lilly Belle Disneyland
The 'Snow White' Academy Award
The future museum will also include many of the hundreds of awards that Walt
received during his lifetime from organizations throughout the
Walt Disney, Shirley Temple 1937
Congressional Medal
In 1969, the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of a special Commemorative
Medal which was presented by President Richard Nixon to Lillian Disney some
three years after Walt's death.
Be sure to revisit this website and see our new monthly feature "News About The
Museum" to find out more about the proposed
The Origins of the Walt Disney
Family Museum
by Paula Sigman Lowery
The following article, which gives great insights into the origins of a
bricks-and-mortar Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio, was excerpted from
the recently released
Disney Insider Yearbook 2005.
The original idea of the museum, which is a project of The Walt Disney Family
Foundation, was a little family office where Walt's awards, memorabilia and
memories would be showcased. Walter Elias Disney Miller, President of the
Foundation and grandson of the man for whom he was named, envisioned it as a
place "where we would conduct our Walt Disney Family Foundation business while
surrounded by an atmosphere that was all about Walt and Lilly, family and
career."
They thought of having small groups of schoolchildren visit the office, to learn
a little something about the man behind the name. But the family soon realized
their idea of an office was impractical, for like another well-known "field of
dreams," if you build it, they will come. How in the world could their little
office/museum accommodate all the people for whom Walt Disney is important?
Meanwhile, the public's interest in Walt Disney continued to increase—as did
misconceptions and misunderstandings about his life. Walter explains, "The
interest in my grandpa never seems to go away. When I meet people and they learn
that Walt Disney was my grandpa, usually a big warm smile comes across their
face, and they tell me how much Bambi, Mickey Mouse, or
"However, inevitably difficult or misunderstood questions surface: 'Is he really
frozen?' 'Did he draw all of those characters?' 'Was he anti-Semitic?' " In
spite of numerous books and films about the life of Walt Disney, nonsensical and
even hurtful rumors continue to abound about his personal life, the way he
treated his employees, and about the type of person he really was."
Walter continues, "My grandpa was an extremely curious man, and with his legacy
the public has grown to be curious about him. Who is Walt Disney, and what made
him so successful and talented at what he did? Yet there is a whole generation
that does not know that he was a man, a very decent man: a man who worked hard
all of his life, a man who loved people, and who is much more than a corporate
symbol, or a picture on toys and video packaging."
The family began taking steps to demystify Walt. In 1998 they produced a
biographical CD-ROM, followed by a documentary film in 2001 entitled Walt:
The Man Behind the Myth. They also launched the
Still, the family felt they could do more. They returned to the thought of a
physical museum.
As time went on, the family's initial dream of a small museum expanded
dramatically in scope. Its mission is to present the life and career of Walt
Disney in an honest and entertaining manner, with a museum that will fulfill the
needs of serious scholars of the man, his work, and his times.
When asked how the family will accomplish this, Walter Miller is quick to
answer. "We hope to tell the story of the man during his life, through his own
voice, his family, friends, employees, historians, scholars, and those who were
close to him. We want to give the public his life story by those who knew him
best." He has specific goals for the project: "I feel personally that I owe him
so much, as a grandson who admires his grandpa, but mostly for what he gave to
the world in his short life. We hope the museum will give to the visiting public
an experience that they will hold onto emotionally . . . something to grasp onto
and leave with, learn from, be inspired by, and have a sense of accomplishment
and inspiration as they walk out the doors. Or, simply, to understand what he
was about and how he went about it."
The Museum also has begun building a collection of art and artifacts that will
be useful in telling Walt's story. Still, even more important than the images
and artifacts are the stories behind them. "The art is beautiful, but it's more
important to get the words," notes Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter. "The
truth is so important to me. Not an exaggeration or a beautification of his
life."
The Museum will present the story of Walt's life in the context of the world in
which he lived. It is also the story of the men and women with whom he worked.
And it is the story of the people — artists and astronauts, fans and filmmakers,
scientists, and even urban planners — who were inspired by his life's work, and
continue to carry on his legacy today.
Assisting the Family Foundation is a cadre of noted historians and filmmakers,
teachers and scholars. Walter says, "As my grandpa did time and again, he
handpicked the team and made it work. I believe now . . . we have the team in
place to make this museum the best it can be."
In searching for a site for their project, the Disney family considered a number
of options. Then Diane and husband Ron Miller, who live in
When Ron and Diane visited the Presidio, they saw its potential as a home for
the museum.
Walter agrees: "It truly is one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
With the Pacific at our feet and the great city of
The Museum will continue the legacy of Walt Disney, sharing not only the truth
of his life but also his passion for art, creativity, and innovation. In that
spirit, it is hoped that the museum also will become a place for future thinking
about the ideas and philosophies that infused his life.
The History of the Presidio
Today, the Presidio in
It was the home to a native people known as the Ohlone when the Spanish arrived
in 1776. The Spanish built missions, houses, and a military garrison, known as a
"presidio" in Spanish. At that time, the Presidio was the northernmost
settlement of Spanish-held territory in the West, at the end of a long line of
Spanish barracks and missions running all along the coast from
The purpose of the Spanish presidios was to maintain law and order in the new
Spanish settlements and to protect the coast from any British or Russian
invasion. The Spanish presence eventually grew to five missions and four
pueblos, or towns, in the Bay Area.
In 1821, after the Mexican Revolution, the Presidio was occupied by Mexican
soldiers. But the scarcity of local resources prompted one commander, General
Vallejo, to abandon the Presidio in favor of another headquarters near
During the war with
The Gold Rush of California greatly boosted the population growth of the
After the
Though hardly touched by the Civil War, the Presidio was expanded during the
First World War. But its heyday was World War II. After the Japanese attack on
After the war, the Presidio was the headquarters of the Sixth U.S. Army, housing
a complex of some 350 buildings. Only in 1989, near the end of the Cold War, did
the Pentagon decide to close the Presidio and transfer the buildings to the
National Park Service.
Source: