LONDON.- This week Young V&A opens its third exhibition, Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends. Created primarily for children and families, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the world of Aardman – creators of Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep, Morph, and more – and unpacks the making of some of the most well known and loved characters of all time.
Coinciding with the studio's 50th anniversary year, Inside Aardman explores the storytelling and craft that brings their familiar and fantastical worlds from the sketchbook to the screen. Moving through themed sections on concept development, model-making, filming and post-production, visitors will uncover the skills, tools and techniques behind the studio's distinctive storytelling. Over 150 objects will be on show, including Aardman’s early character sketches, concept art, puppets, character ‘bibles’, props, set models, and optical illusion toys.
Inside Aardman gives young visitors the opportunity to try their hand at different parts of stop-motion animation, guiding them on how to make their own at home using everyday materials and inspiration. Whether their characters are sailing on the high seas, adventuring to the moon, or escaping the chicken coop, Aardman have always drawn from the world around them when building new ones. While journeying through the exhibition, visitors can explore storyboarding, design characters, light sets, create Live Action Videos, touch samples of different puppet materials, and watch a selection of animations made by children.
The first section of the exhibition explores how to develop ideas and stories. Works on display include development sketches for Morph, early sketches of Wallace & Gromit, and a hand-drawn storyboard from The Wrong Trousers (1993) train chase. There is also an interactive praxinoscope that demonstrates how images are stacked in quick succession to create stop-motion animations.
The exhibition's second section looks at model making, and how iconic Aardman characters, props and sets have been created. These include the beloved Lady Tottington, the distinctive rocket from Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1989), and the duo’s living room set. Further highlights include Wallace & Gromit’s motorbike and sidecar from Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), which has never been displayed before, as well as the largest Aardman model ever made, the galleon ship from The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012).
The exhibition goes on to look at how ideas are brought to life on set, exploring not only the process of animating but also producing, lighting design, and voice acting with behind the scenes videos and interactive activities. One of Aardman’s last physical scheduling board is on display, a daily planner that plots out the filming schedule. Visitors will get the chance to create their own stop-motion animations, light a set, and film Live Action Videos, which are used by animators to plan a scene. A particular highlight is Wallace & Gromit’s local museum from The Wrong Trousers (1993), including an Aardman Mona Lisa.
The final section explores what comes after production is wrapped, when final edits are made and sound, music and visual effects are added to make the Aardman films audiences know and love. Visitors can create their own foley effects using everyday objects – from the sound of footsteps to drawing – and learn about the role of visual effects in Aardman films. Highlights include characters from Robin Robin (2021), the airship model from The Pirates! (2012) and a Timmy puppet from Timmy Time (2009).
Alex Newson, Chief Curator, Young V&A, said: “Aardman quite literally began on the kitchen table, when two young school friends started experimenting with animations at home. Even though Aardman is now one of the most successful animation studios in the world, its films still have the same handcrafted feel. It is this ‘thumbiness’, as they refer to it, that makes the films so charming and well loved. This is also what makes the story so great for children. While Aardman’s films are now made by large and highly skilled teams it’s also possible for anyone to have a go at making their own stop-motion films at home with minimal equipment and experience.”
Dr Helen Charman, Director of Learning, National Programmes and Young V&A, said: “We are delighted to be opening Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends, our third exhibition at Young V&A, designed and curated specifically for children and young people. By unpacking the techniques and imagination that goes into creating these beloved characters, we hope young people and their families leave the exhibition feeling excited and inspired to try animation at home.”
