London’s Young V&A museum will open a major exhibition next February celebrating the craft and creativity behind some of Britain’s most beloved animated characters, from Wallace & Gromit to Shaun the Sheep.
Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends will run from February 12 through November 15, 2026, offering visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how the Bristol-based animation studio brings its iconic characters to life through stop-motion animation. The exhibition opening coincides with Aardman’s 50th anniversary year.
What’s On Display
Over 150 objects will be featured, including never-before-seen models, sets, and storyboards from Aardman’s archives. Highlights include early character sketches for Morph, initial character development drawings for Wallace & Gromit, and a hand-drawn storyboard from the famous train chase sequence in The Wrong Trousers (1993).
For the first time, visitors will see Wallace and Gromit’s motorbike and sidecar from the recent Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), along with Aardman’s final physical scheduling board used in production. The exhibition also features set pieces from Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023), Robin Robin (2019), The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012), and the original A Grand Day Out (1989).
The V&A will complement Aardman’s materials with optical illusion toys and early examples of stop-motion animation from its own collection, providing historical context for the animation technique.
Hands-On Animation Activities
Designed primarily for children and families—with particular focus on ages 8-14—the exhibition offers interactive experiences that teach the fundamentals of stop-motion animation. Young visitors can try their hand at storyboarding, character design, and lighting sets. They’ll be able to create Live Action Videos, touch samples of different puppet materials used by Aardman’s model-makers, and watch a selection of animations created by children.
The exhibition aims to inspire visitors to create their own stop-motion animations at home using everyday materials, emphasizing that anyone can experiment with the art form that Aardman has perfected.
From Kitchen Table to Global Success
Alex Newson, Chief Curator at Young V&A, highlighted Aardman’s humble origins: “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.”
Dr. Helen Charman, Director of Learning, National Programmes and Young V&A, added: “By unpacking the techniques and imagination that goes into creating these beloved characters, we hope young people and their families leave the exhibition feeling excited and inspired to try animation at home.”
Aardman’s Legacy
Founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, Aardman has become synonymous with British animation excellence. The employee-owned Bristol studio has won multiple Academy Awards and BAFTAs for its distinctive claymation style. Beyond Wallace & Gromit, the studio created Chicken Run (Britain’s highest-grossing stop-motion film), Shaun the Sheep, and the character Morph, who first appeared on children’s television in the 1970s.
The studio’s characteristic “thumbiness”—the visible fingerprints and handcrafted quality that gives its work warmth and personality—has influenced generations of animators and delighted audiences worldwide.
Ngaio Harding-Hill, Head of Live Attractions at Aardman, said the exhibition “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.”
Visiting Information
Young V&A is located in Bethnal Green, east London, making it easily accessible by Tube on the Central line. The museum itself is free to enter, though the Aardman exhibition requires a ticket.
Exhibition passes cost £11 per person and allow for repeat visits throughout the exhibition’s run—a good value for families who want to return multiple times. Children under five enter free, with additional concessions available. V&A Members also receive free admission.
Tickets go on sale today (November 25, 2025) at vam.ac.uk/young.
The exhibition is supported by The Godwin Family and represents Young V&A’s third major exhibition since the museum’s rebranding and renovation. Previously known as the V&A Museum of Childhood, Young V&A reopened in 2023 with a mission to spark creativity in children aged 0-14 through its collection of nearly 2,000 toys, characters, objects, and artworks.
Anniversary Year
The exhibition is part of Aardman’s broader 50th anniversary celebrations in 2026, which will include the autumn release of a new film, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.
For London families, animation enthusiasts, or anyone who’s ever wondered how Wallace gets Gromit’s expressions just right, Inside Aardman promises to reveal the painstaking artistry behind some of Britain’s most cherished animated characters—and perhaps inspire the next generation of animators in the process.
A Little Bit of London In Your Inbox Weekly. Sign-up for our free weekly London newsletter. Sent every Friday with the latest news from London!