California Visionaries: Forest Lawn Museum Unveils Parallel Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Forest Lawn Museum Archives / Garner Holt Productions / September 2026
Marking a historic cultural dialogue, Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale, California, unveiled a landmark exhibition, “California Visionaries: The Lives and Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton.”
Opened to the public on September 19, 2026, and running through February 7, 2027, the showcase marks the first formal museum study exploring the personal friendship and shared aesthetic vision of entertainment titan Walt Disney and Forest Lawn founder Dr. Hubert Eaton. Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of their passings in 1966, the retrospective traces how both men migrated from Missouri to Southern California, transforming public spaces through art, storytelling, and architectural grandeur.
Exhibition Highlights & Archival Treasures
Co-curated by James Fishburne, Ph.D. (Forest Lawn Museum Director) and Harrison Foreman (former Walt Disney World creative), the exhibition unites rare artifacts from The Walt Disney Archives, Garner Holt Productions, and Bob Baker Marionette Theater:
Disneyland Relics & Concept Art: Original Dumbo ride vehicles, Matterhorn bobsleds, and early park sketchwork by Imagineer Herbert Ryman—who drew both the original 1953 Disneyland map and Forest Lawn's colossal painting, The Resurrection.
Historic Disney Music Scores: Original master score books and hand-annotated sheet music from Cinderella, It's a Small World, and The Skeleton Dance, courtesy of the Walt Disney Music Legacy Library.
Shared Creative Echoes: Comparative mid-century maps illustrating how both visionaries drew inspiration from medieval castles, cathedrals, and classic Americana like Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln.
Dual Anniversary Feature: Debuting alongside "California Visionaries," the museum launched “75 Years: Art Finds a Home at Forest Lawn” (running through July 18, 2027), celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection with restored archival audio and historical ephemera.
Exhibition Architecture & Public Programming
To assist museum visitors and arts journalists, Forest Lawn Museum detailed the core timeline and visitor schedule for the dual fall exhibitions:
Event Milestone Dates & Schedule Details & Access Opening Reception & Preview Saturday, September 19, 2026Public reception featuring live music, curator talks, and Dole Whip. “California Visionaries” Run September 19, 2026 – February 7, 2027Main exhibition galleries, free admission & parking.“75 Years: Art Finds a Home” Run September 19, 2026 – July 18, 2027Retrospective on the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection. Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection Tuesday–Sunday (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)Home to Jan Styka's The Crucifixion (195x45 ft), the Western US's largest painting.