Cracking exhibition Gromit: Aardman animation featured at Young V&A

A new exhibition will explore the world of Aardman at the Young V&A – from Wallace & Gromit to Morph, Chicken Run, and Shaun The Sheep.

With more than 150 objects on display – including never-before-seen models, sets and storyboards from Aardman’s archives – it will open in February to coincide with the studio’s 50th anniversary year.

Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends will be the third exhibition to be shown at the Young V&A, in Bethnal Green, east London, since it opened in 2023 after formerly being known as the V&A Museum of Childhood.

It will go behind the scenes of stop-motion animation to explore how Aardman’s characters are brought to life and will feature interactive activities for children including designing characters and creating their own live action videos.

Visitors will be able to view Aardman’s early character sketches, concept art, puppets, props, scripts, and set models, as well as several optical illusion toys and early examples of stop-motion animation from the V&A’s collection.

Highlights include development sketches for Morph, early character ideas for Wallace, a hand-drawn storyboard from the train chase in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers, as well as never before displayed objects such as the duo’s motorbike and sidecar from last year’s Bafta-winning film Vengeance Most Fowl.

Wallace & Gromit was created by Nick Park, of Bristol-based Aardman Animations, with his subsequent films going on to win four Oscars and several Baftas.

Alex Newson, chief curator at the 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 make 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.”

Ngaio Harding-Hill, head of live attractions and live experiences at Aardman, said: “As Aardman celebrates its 50th anniversary, Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends offers a wonderful opportunity to shine a light on the creativity and craftsmanship behind the animation process – from initial sketch through to post-production.

“We hope that through this exhibition, the joy and wonder of our craft will inspire the next generation of storytellers, directors, model-makers and animators.”

The exhibition will run from February 12 to November 15 next year.

Published: 25/11/2025 by Radio NewsHub