Free Walt Disney Exhibition in Glendale Features Real Disneyland Ride Vehicles

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Disney-loving families can see real Disneyland ride vehicles without buying a theme-park ticket. California Visionaries: The Lives and Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton opens at Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale on September 19, 2026, and admission and parking are free.

The exhibition runs through February 7, 2027. Its family appeal begins with an actual Dumbo ride vehicle and a Matterhorn bobsled that were previously used at Disneyland, but the show goes much deeper into the ideas, art and friendship behind two influential California destinations.

The Friendship Behind the Exhibition

Walt Disney and Forest Lawn founder Hubert Eaton met in the 1930s. Both had traveled from Missouri to California, and both created places that became part of American life. Their long friendship and the creative parallels between Disneyland and Forest Lawn are at the center of the exhibition.

Disney served as an honorary pallbearer at Eaton’s funeral in 1966 and died later that year. Both men are interred at Forest Lawn–Glendale. The exhibition marks the 60th anniversary of their deaths while exploring the artistic and philosophical ideas that shaped their legacies.

What Kids Will See

In addition to the Dumbo ride vehicle and Matterhorn bobsled, families can see animatronic figures, concept art, archival photographs and colorful maps showing how Disneyland and Forest Lawn developed.

Music fans can look for original sheet music from It’s a Small World and The Skeleton Dance. The exhibition also includes the original master score book for Cinderella with handwritten annotations from the film’s creators, on loan from the Walt Disney Music Legacy Library.

Objects in the exhibition come from sources including The Walt Disney Archives, Garner Holt Productions, Bob Baker Marionette Theater and private collections.

Opening Reception

A free opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM, with drinks, hors d’oeuvres, live music, curator remarks and Dole Whip. The original RSVP deadline has passed, so contact the museum to check whether space remains.

The Practical Details

Dates: September 19, 2026 through February 7, 2027.

Cost: Free admission and free parking.

Address: Forest Lawn Museum, 1712 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91205. Enter the main gate and continue up the hill to the museum building.

Hours: Check the museum’s current operating hours before leaving home.

A second free exhibition, 75 Years: Art Finds a Home at Forest Lawn, opens the same day and continues through July 18, 2027, giving families two museum experiences in one visit.

Confirm current hours, reception availability and exhibition details on the official Forest Lawn Museum website.