Celebrate Mickey Mouse at 'Mickey: The True Original Exhibition'

In this May Day holiday, immerse ourselves in "Mickey: The True Original Exhibition" in Shenzhen and celebrate all things Mickey for his 90th anniversary. Be ready to walk through the evolution of reimagined Mickey moments, from his "Steamboat Willie" days to the global icon we know today.

Presented by Disney and UCCA Lab, the magical exhibition is co-curated by Darren Romanelli, You Yang, Zhang Liting and Tang Tang and showcases the talents of over 50 contemporary artists including Daniel Arsham, Amanda Ross-Ho, Chen Man and Edison Chen. 

Since "Steamboat Willie," the first animated film with synchronized sound, hit the silver screen in 1928 in the United States, Mickey Mouse has captured the hearts and minds of fans of all ages, across generations, around the world. In the past 100 years, Mickey Mouse has grown from the protagonist of early animated short films to a global pop culture icon that has transcended cultural and regional differences and been a positive force of influence across animation, art and beyond. The spirit of optimism, curiosity and fearlessness that Mickey represents continues to propel the character to explore and push boundaries, making his legacy today as strong as ever.

The “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” first opened in New York City in 2018. To celebrate Mickey’s 90th anniversary, Disney invited artists from diverse cultural backgrounds to reimagine the world’s most famous animated character, sparking a fantastical exploration of the possibilities of what Mickey means to our times.

After showing in Shanghai and Chengdu, “Mickey: The True Original & Ever Curious” in Shenzhen presents Mickey Mouse-inspired works through various mediums, including painting, sculpture, calligraphy, installation, sound, performance, new media, as well as historic pieces. The design of the exhibition space stems from the theme, “Ever Curious.” Creating a park-like open space, the dynamic exhibition invokes a spirit of exploration, inviting visitors to become part of Mickey’s ever curious world.

“To me, Mickey is reminiscent of everything good from my childhood. As I’ve come into my own as a designer, I feel a true sense of passion for this project. Every inch of the experience—from the artists participating to the different mediums featured to the building layout—was thought through with a level of detail and creativity we could only achieve with Mickey Mouse as our muse,” said Romanelli.

Dates: Until July 3

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Tickets: 98 yuan (adults), 148 yuan (1 adult + 1 kid taller than 1.2 meters) 78 yuan (students, seniors aged 60 or elder, the disabled, children taller than 1.2 meters, COVID-fighting volunteers), free (children in 1.2 meters or shorter, medical workers)

Venue: The MixC World, Nanshan District (南山区万象天地)

Metro: Line 1 to Hi-tech Park Station (高新园站), Exit A