As Wallace & Gromit, Morph, Shaun the Sheep and their Claymation friends step into Young V&A, we find out what you need to know about the Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends exhibition!
1. Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends at Young V&A in Bethnal Green opens on 12 February 2026.
2026 is Aardman’s 50th anniversary year and this exhibition celebrates their iconic characters and worlds, as well as their craft and storytelling. The exhibition will take you behind the scenes of stop-motion animation and show you how Aardman brings clay to life.
2. You’ll see the whole process of how a film is made
From the initial sketch right through to the final effects, the exhibition will show you just how Aardman do it. You’ll find out how storytellers and sketch artists draw out their ideas, how the modelmakers build sets and puppets and how the directors, animators and film crew work together to make these small worlds feel so large.
3. The exhibition is interactive and all about getting stuck in
Aimed at children and families, the exhibition will let you try your hand at different parts of stop-motion animation. Budding animators will find tips and hints on how to make your own cracking stories at home, from sketching out a storyboard, to designing expressive characters, and even creating the right lighting.
4. Its full of iconic and inspiring items
There are more than 150 items on display, including never-before-seen models, sets, and storyboards from Aardman’s archives. The early sketches for well-loved characters like Morph and Gromit are there as well as the storyboard for that iconic train chase in The Wrong Trousers. The sidecar from Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is on display for the very first time, as well as set pieces from favourites including Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Robin Robin and The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!
5. You can come back as many times as you like
Tickets are on sale now, and the exhibition pass allows you to visit as many times as you like between February and November, so there’s no need to do it all in one go. You can come back and take in something you missed at a second visit, or remind yourself just how they did something you’ve been working on yourself. As always, V&A Members can visit the exhibition for free.
I think the second picture set in the dining room is from ‘cracking contraptions’ rather than ‘a grand day out’
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