Press Release

The Walt Disney Archives Presents Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume Opens June 25, 2022, inside Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

This exhibition in partnership with the Walt Disney Archives features more than 70 spectacular costumes spanning 55 years

(Dearborn, Mich. – April 25, 2022) – The Henry Ford today announced the June 25, 2022 opening of Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume in partnership with the Walt Disney Archives. Through more than 70 original items including ball gowns, sorcerers’ capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and of course glass slippers, the exhibition immerses visitors into the world of Disney and shows how our understanding of its iconic characters is shaped through the artistry and creativity of its costumes.

Running through January 1, 2023, the exhibition includes costumes from some of Hollywood’s preeminent designers, past and present, including Academy Award®-winners Colleen Atwood, Sandy Powell, and Tony Walton, as well as Emmy® winner Ellen Mirojnick and Emmy nominees Eduardo Castro and Penny Rose.

Visitors will experience “Cinderella’s Workshop,” a gallery featuring the beloved fairy-tale character’s dresses from her numerous Disney incarnations, including 1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella; 2014’s Into the Woods; the 2015 live-action reimagining of the animated masterpiece Cinderella; and the ABC hit series Once Upon a Time.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: “Disney Heroes,” “Disney Villains,” and “Spaces Between,” reserved for the antiheroes whose fascinating journeys make them among Disney’s most complex characters. There will also be interactive elements and plenty of chances for photo-ops.

Among the costumes included in the “Disney Heroes” section are Belle’s village dress and ballgown from 2017’s Beauty and the Beast; Giselle and Prince Edward’s costumes from Enchanted; and two iconic Mary Poppins “traveling dresses,” one from the 1964 original film and the other from 2019’s Mary Poppins Returns. “Disney Villains” ensembles include the trio of wonderfully wicked witches from 1993’s Hocus Pocus, the duo of dresses worn by the stepsisters in 2015’s Cinderella, and the dress worn by the incomparable Bette Davis in 1978’s Return from Witch Mountain. And “Spaces Between” includes Maleficent’s gown from the 2014 film, as well as the Evil Queen and Hook’s costumes from Once Upon a Time.

The Henry Ford is the second museum to show the exhibition following its run at MoPOP in Seattle. It originally premiered at the 2019 D23 Expo – the biennial event of the official Disney fan club. Admission to the exhibition is free for members and included in the general admission to Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. For updates on hours, tickets and more, visit thf.org or follow The Henry Ford on social media @thehenryford.