On Monday 23rd February 2026, Year 12 and 13 Visual Arts students went on a trip to see the Wes Anderson exhibition at the Design Museum in Kensington, London.
"This landmark exhibition will chart the evolution of Wes Anderson’s films from early experiments in the 1990s to recent productions as well as collaborations with key long-standing creative partners. Explore the design stories behind award-winning and iconic films such as ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar’, ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ and ‘Isle of Dogs’."
The exhibition brings together a huge and diverse amount of artefacts that Wes Anderson has collected during his long career as a film director. Students got to see excellent examples of drawing and illustration through storyboarding for film ideas, scripts with annotated details, on set photography, unique props and wonderful costume designs all built around films and animations that explore the human condition and relationships with environment.
"Over 700 objects will bring together the director's meticulous craft of filmmaking through original storyboards, polaroids, sketches, paintings, handwritten notebooks, puppets, miniature models, dozens of costumes worn by much-loved characters, and more. Highlights include a candy-pink model of the Grand Budapest Hotel, the vending machines from Asteroid City, the FENDI fur coat worn by Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums, the original stop motion puppets used to depict the fantastical sea creatures in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Mr Fox wearing his signature corduroy suit and show dog Nutmeg alongside miniature sets. The show will also present a screening of Bottle Rocket, Anderson’s first short film, created in 1993."
This was a great opportunity for all our creative students to see at first hand just how an artist goes about their work, researching, drawing, experimenting, planning and refining towards a final outcome. It was impressive to see just how much work, effort, time and management goes into making a film or animation.
This is a must see show for all young creatives!!