Conservators lift a perspex dome over a model of Wallace and Gromit. The Aardman exhibition marks the animation studio's half a century in Bristol, featuring characters and sets from beloved creations like Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Chicken Run. The show celebrates the studio's deep-rooted connection to the south-west of the UK.
Exhibition Highlights
The exhibition at the M Shed, just around the corner from the Aardman base on Gas Ferry Road, shines a light on the studio's 50 years in Bristol. It maps how Aardman rose from modest beginnings in the city, winning hearts with Morph for the children's programme Take Hart before going global with characters such as Shaun the Sheep and the Chicken Run gang.
The show features puppets galore and beautifully crafted sets, describing how Aardman's creations draw on Bristol's independent, sometimes rebellious spirit. "We've always had a creative identity that celebrated independence," said Ngaio Harding-Hill, the director of attractions, live experiences and archive at Aardman. "I think the spirit of Bristol has always permeated our productions."
Inspiring Future Creatives
As well as entertaining and informing, the exhibition is designed to inspire young people to consider a career in the industry. "Over the 50 years, we've been able to develop a great creative community in the city," Harding-Hill said. "We hope the exhibition will make people think about a career in the creative industries. If you've got a story, got an idea, you can make it happen."
Local Influences
The Guardian was given a sneak preview as finishing touches were made. The show highlights how south-west England locations and products are used in Aardman works. Grimy railways arches in a Shaun the Sheep tale are based on Bristol Temple Meads railway station. Tottington Hall, in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, was modelled on Montacute House, a late Elizabethan mansion in Somerset. Some references are subtle, like a tin of "Fly's Cocoa" in a Chicken Run set, a nod to Fry's chocolate maker founded in Bristol.
Unique Artifacts
Other highlights include a flying machine built for Chicken Run that survived the 2005 fire. Someone involved in the production had tucked it away in their garage and handed it back after the blaze. Another set, never shown in public before, features Wallace and Gromit held captive by Feathers McGraw for the 2024 film Vengeance Most Fowl.
Steve Bradley, an exhibitions and displays manager, said caring for so many national treasures was a huge responsibility. He is keen on grubbier sets, such as one with an overflowing skip and a barbed wire fence with tiny plastic bags caught in the spikes. "Even though they are gritty in nature, they're still beautiful," Bradley said. "The craftsmanship is extraordinary."
Visitor Experience
The exhibition's first weekend has already sold out. Visitors can buy limited-edition badges, key rings, and jewellery. Before leaving, they can dine in the cafe on Aardman-themed food including pasta and sandwiches loaded with Wallace's beloved cheese, wensleydale.
Helen McConnell Simpson, a senior curator of history at Bristol Museums, said M Shed often tackled difficult areas, like the statue of slave trader Edward Colston. "But it's really lovely to welcome families to an exhibition which is focused on joy and celebration," she said. "The world is a difficult place at the moment and it's great to have something based on warmth and community and creativity and fun."
Cracking Exhibition Gromit: 50 Years of Aardman in Bristol runs from 20 June to 13 September.
