A major new exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the beloved animation studio Aardman is coming to the Young V&A in London. Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends will give visitors an unprecedented look behind the scenes at the creation of iconic characters from Wallace & Gromit to Shaun the Sheep.
What to Expect at the Exhibition
The exhibition, running from 12 February to 15 November 2026, will feature more than 150 objects pulled from Aardman's extensive archives. Attendees will be treated to a treasure trove of creative history, including early character sketches, concept art, puppets, props, and set models. Many of these items have never been displayed to the public before.
Highlights promised by the Young V&A include:
- Development sketches for Morph, Aardman's original plasticine star.
- Early character ideas for the inventor Wallace.
- A hand-drawn storyboard from the famous train chase in the 1993 classic The Wrong Trousers.
- Never-before-displayed objects like the motorbike and sidecar from the recent Bafta-winning film, Vengeance Most Fowl.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The exhibition is designed to be highly interactive, aiming to inspire young visitors. Children will have the chance to try their hand at designing their own characters and creating live-action videos, demystifying the animation process. This aligns with the studio's own origins, which began when school friends started experimenting with animation on a kitchen table.
Alex Newson, chief curator at the Young V&A, emphasised the appeal of Aardman's handcrafted approach. It is this 'thumbiness', as they refer to it, that makes the films so charming and well loved, he said, noting that the story of Aardman proves that anyone can start creating with minimal equipment.
Ngaio Harding-Hill, Head of Live Attractions at Aardman, expressed hope that the exhibition would inspire the next generation of storytellers, directors, model-makers and animators by showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship behind their beloved films.
A Celebration of British Animation
The exhibition marks a significant milestone for Aardman, the Bristol-based studio founded by Nick Park. Over five decades, the studio's creations, particularly the adventures of Wallace and his intelligent dog Gromit, have won four Oscars and numerous Baftas, cementing their place in the heart of British culture. This will be the third exhibition hosted at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green, east London, since it was rebranded from the V&A Museum of Childhood in 2023.
