Five insights into ‘Disney100: The Exhibition,’ coming to the Franklin Institute next year

As the Philly Pops played a selection of classic Disney hits while wearing Mickey Mouse ears, officials with the Franklin Institute and Walt Disney Archives on Wednesday unveiled new details about the upcoming world premiere of “Disney100: The Exhibition” at the museum.

Larry Dubinski, president and CEO of the Franklin, welcomed the public to “be our guest” at the 15,000-square-foot exhibit, which celebrates next year’s 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company.

Becky Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives, debuted an original soundtrack for the exhibit written by composer Steve Mazzaro and said she hopes the show inspires visitors to wish upon a star.

“We hope that some of these kids will see how Walt Disney made his dreams come true and see what they can do themselves,” she said.

Along with exhibits and artifacts from Disney, the show will feature items and interactive elements from Disney’s other properties including Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.

Here are five things to know about the exhibit, which makes its world premiere at the Franklin Institute next year.

If you don’t want to be late for a very important date (like the White Rabbit) be sure to mark your calendars for Feb. 18, which is when the exhibit opens to the public. No end date for the exhibition in Philadelphia has been announced.

Daytime tickets, which include access to the entire museum, are $45 for adults and $41 for kids. Tickets for evening admission, which only includes the “Disney100″ exhibit, are $25 for adults and children. Tickets may be purchased in advance at fi.edu.

The exhibit will feature 10 galleries, each representing one of Walt Disney’s philosophies, Cline said.

Gallery themes include: Where It All Began; Where Do The Stories Come From?; Sources of Inspiration; Disney Innovations; and Disney Music.

» READ MORE: A full look at ‘Harry Potter: The Exhibition’ at the Franklin Institute: Incendio or Riddikulus?

At the Spirit of Adventure and Discovery gallery, visitors will be able to embark on quests and play games based on live-action movies from Disney, Star Wars, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And at the Nautilus Window, guests will get to look through an interactive window from the submarine in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to get a peek at Disney and Pixar’s underwater worlds.

One of the galleries, A Day in the Parks, is an immersive journey into the Disney theme park experience. While its main focus is on Disneyland, since that was the first park, the gallery will feature elements that allow visitors to take a look at Disney parks around the world.

“So people who haven’t had a chance to look at Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai or Disneyland Paris or Japan will have that opportunity,” Cline said. “The fun thing about this particular gallery is that it will turn, periodically, from day to night, so you get a chance to experience the parks at both hours of the day.”

A Day in the Parks will also feature “thrilling ride vehicles” from actual Disney park attractions, but Cline remained as mum as the magic carpet from Aladdin on which rides they may be.

The Disney Archives, based in Burbank, Calif., is home to the most iconic items from Disney’s TV shows, movies, and theme parks.

As part of the exhibit, the archives will showcase more than 250 rarely-seen original artworks, artifacts, costumes, props, and other memorabilia. Here’s to hoping at least one guest sings “Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat!”

Among the items on hand Wednesday were Rey’s lightsaber hilt from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; the original whistle used in Steamboat Willie; and the prop storybook that appears in the opening of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

“We have this incredible collection because we get first dibs off of every film that wraps and every attraction that is changed,” Cline said.

Dubinski said the museum’s connection with Disney dates back to 1941, when Walt Disney created a number of special drawings for a demonstration at Franklin’s Fels Planetarium called “Stars of Spring.”

More recently, the Franklin Institute served as a filming location for Disney’s 2004 live-action film, National Treasure, starring Nicolas Cage.