Published 25th November 2025

Young V&A exhibition to explore behind-the-scenes of Aardman's 'cracking creations'

Today, Young V&A announces its third exhibition, Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends. Created primarily for children and families, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the world of Aardman, and unpacks the making of some of the most well known and loved characters of all time.

Opening on 12 February to coincide with the studio's 50th anniversary year, Inside Aardman explores the storytelling and craft that brings their familiar and fantastical worlds from the sketchbook to the screen. The exhibition takes visitors behind the scenes of the animation process, from idea development and storyboarding to model making, filming and production, and post-production.

Over 150 items will be on show, including Aardman's early character sketches, concept art, puppets, character ‘bibles’, props, scripts, 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 & Gromit, a hand-drawn storyboard from The Wrong Trousers (1993) train chase, as well as never before displayed objects such as the duo’s motorbike and sidecar from Vengeance Most Fowl (2024) and Aardman’s final physical scheduling board.

The exhibition features set pieces from across Aardman’s work, including Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023), Robin Robin (2019), The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012) and Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1989).

Inside Aardman will give young visitors the opportunity to try their hand at different parts of stop-motion animation, guiding them on how to make their own at home using everyday materials and inspiration. Whether our characters are sailing on the high seas, adventuring to the moon, or escaping the chicken coop, we have always drawn from the world around us when building new ones. While journeying through the exhibition, visitors will be able to explore storyboarding, design characters, light sets, create Live Action Videos, touch samples of different puppet materials, and watch a selection of animations made by children.

Alex Newson, Chief Curator, 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 makes 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.”

Dr Helen Charman, Director of Learning, National Programmes and Young V&A, said: “We are delighted to be announcing Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends, our third exhibition at Young V&A, designed and curated specifically for children and young people. 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.”

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.”

2026 sees Aardman celebrate our 50th anniversary with a roster of events and celebrations highlighting the craft and legacy of the studio, including the launch of a new movie, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom in the autumn.