The Walt Disney Family Museum: A Journey of Inspiration

The word Disney would seem to have transcended the man who created what has now become  one of the most well-known, loved and recognized brands in the world. But one visit to The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, CA will make it very clear that this all started through the imagination, perseverance and good will of one man with a huge vision: Walt Disney.

Last month I was part of a group of bloggers invited by Disney to San Francisco to visit the Pixar campus and meet the creators of the forthcoming Brave. Part of our trip included a visit to the Disney Family Museum.To be honest, I had no idea this place even existed, so I really didn’t know what to expect.

What we were treated to was a journey through the life of a man who was clearly ahead of his time in so many ways, but knew exactly how to transmit the vision and mission of his dreams to others and make them happen. When you visit the museum you will take a journey through ten galleries, each representing a stage in Walt’s life.

I learned so many things about a man I thought I already knew a lot about, but what left me the most inspired was his connection to his family and them as his endless source of inspiration. In fact, one of the pieces I loved the most from the museum’s collection is probably one of the most simple ones too: a park bench. The story goes that this is the bench where Walt used to sit to watch his kids ride the carrousel in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The same carrousel I take my girl to all the time since it’s minutes from my house. Apparently, this infamous carrousel was what sparked Walt Disney’s mind with the idea of creating a space where families could have fun together in a safe and clean environment. The result? Disneyland. The rest is history.

If you ever visit San Francisco or the Bay Area, consider spending a few hours at the Walt Disney Family Museum. You will definitely leave inspired. I sure did.