“The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons” exhibit Coming to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science 

August 23rd, 2021

ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science (NMMNHS) is excited to present the exhibition “The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons,” opening on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. This exhibit is included with general admission into the museum. 

For more than 80 years, Warner Bros. animation has been bringing joy to all ages. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, in particular, provided some of the most iconic animated characters of all time — Bugs Bunny, Tweety Pie, the Tasmanian Devil, and Daffy Duck. Closer to home for New Mexicans, they also created the desert-dwelling rivals Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, and introduced the landscape of the American Southwest to millions of people around the world. And who can forget the many times one of these characters “should’ve made a left at Albuquerque”? 

Traditional hand-drawn animation is a complex and time-consuming process. Each character is conceptualized, sketched, drawn, and hand-colored – all before filming even begins – yet we usually only ever see the finished product. In “The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons,” visitors can get a rare glimpse of sketches, model sheets, paintings, and animation cells that went into creating these famous films from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. 

From toddlers and teens to parents and grandparents, Warner Bros. cartoons have appealed to multiple generations. Even through the lens of stereotypes that were common during the early days of film, their artistry and humor still fascinates viewers. 

“The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons” includes opportunities to see the actual cartoons in the galleries and at special times on the Verus DynaTheater’s five-story-tall screen.  

The exhibition will be on display until January 2, 2022. Please check the NMMNHS website at https://nmnaturalhistory.org for possible updates on Museum hours and days of operation. 

Visitors to NMMNHS are encouraged to purchase tickets online at https://nmnaturalhistory.org/visitors/visitor-information 

About the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science 
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Trustees of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, through the generous support of donors. Established in 1986, the mission of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is to preserve and interpret the distinctive natural and scientific heritage of our state through extraordinary collections, research, exhibits, and programs designed to ignite a passion for lifelong learning. The NMMNHS offers exhibitions, programs, and workshops in Geoscience, including Paleontology and Mineralogy, Bioscience, and Space Science. It is the Southwest’s largest repository for fossils and includes a Planetarium and a large format 3D DynaTheater. 

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