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I am a huge Wes Anderson fan. I think most people are either a real fan and absolutely worship his work or they just don’t get it. Or it’s not their thing. Ambivalent? No such thing. Of course, I was very excited when my husband surprised me with the tickets for our anniversary – isn’t he a good egg? This is the first time ever, that the three decades of pioneering film making memorabilia by Wes Anderson have been collated into an experience that this exhibition is. Wes Anderson: The Archives isn’t just an exhibition of objects and costumes. It’s an incredible, personal collection of storyboards, design sketches, miniature sets, props, photos taken on sets, stories that opens the window onto this wonderful world he’s been able to create and we know as the world of Wes Anderson. For us, fans, stepping inside for a few hours is a dream come true.
Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Crew Ensembles
What is the Wes Anderson: The Archives about?
The exhibition is a retrospective that collected over 700 objects and artefacts from the WA world. It opened in November 2025 and will be running until July 2026. After that it will be touring and request for hire now can be submitted from August 2026 onwards, so hopefully more fans will get to immerse in their favourite fictional world, not just the ones able to visit the Design Museum in London. The exhibition premiered at la Cinémathèque française in Paris earlier in 2025, and for exhibition in the Design Museum in London, 100 new objects was added.
The chronological layout is very sensible way (and somehow also very Wes Anderson-esque) way to see how evolves as a filmmaker starting from the 1990s to the latest film (The Phoenician Scheme – 2025). Each film has its own section, showcasing costumes and props, notes, photos from the sets.
Adult tickets are priced at £19.69.- but if you a member of the Design Museum, it’s free with your membership.
Concierge Set from The Grand Budapest Hotel
What is so special about the movies of Wes Anderson?
In my view it’s the visually and emotionally compelling storytelling that really sets his work apart from anything anyone else created before. A lot of labels were attached to his world’s aesthetics: quirky, brainy, retro-futuristic, unique etc. I did notice that lately, at the height of his popularity, his signature colour-scheme, obsession with symmetry and other Wes Anderson visions are even being copied by other film makers. His style has inspired many others around the world. Everything in a Wes Anderson set has a purpose: objects and design narrate and form characters. Anything more or anything less just would not create the same.
The second after his visionary way of creating his world is the actors, illustrators, costume designers and basically everyone who worked on each set. Most of them are regulars is many other WA movies. His ongoing collaborations with his favourite artists is very important in his film making process.
The third special thing I’d like to add is the soundtracks of every Wes Anderson movie. They all very special to me.
Review Wes Anderson: The Archives
Wes Anderson’s dedication to detail is known to fans very well, so my favourite thing about the exhibition was seeing all these small details making a great movie. Seeing the original costumes are fantastic, but the really rare sightings of polaroids, sketches, and handwritten notebooks – they are really special to WA fans. Of course, I wouldn’t have expected less than keeping and saving all these beautiful objects by Wes Anderson. We are lucky that he did and Wes Anderson: The Archives could be curated. Knowing that Wes Anderson himself was also involved in curating the exhibition makes it really an exquisite experience.
Which movies are featured at the Wes Anderson: The Archives Exhibition?
All!
Bottle Rocket (1996)
The 14-minute Bottle Rocket (a crime comedy) short from 1992 screening at the exhibition as well as a few objects related to movie. There aren’t much to see compared to every other movie following Bottle Rocket, because all the sets and props, everything was owned by the production company at the time. Which then sold it all off. After this, Wes Anderson made sure he never have to part with a single object used to make his movies.
Rushmore (1998)
Most costumes, costume design illustrations, the portrait of the Blume family, scripts and objects from the film like Max’ Swiss knife.
Swiss Knife of Max from Rushmore
Rushmore costumes an the Blume’s family portrait
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
A highlight of the exhibition amongst the original costumes displayed for every movie, you’ll find the FENDI fur coat worn by Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot Tenenbaum.
Costumes of The Royal Tenenbaums
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
My long-time favourite movie ever! Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou deserved one of the larger rooms at the Wes Anderson: The Archives with costumes, sea animal props like the jaguar shark, mock magazines from the set, and with Seu Jorge’s songs playing.
Photos from the filming of Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Cover art for the soundtrack of Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Mock Oceonographic Explorer Magazine with Alistair Hennessy
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Costumes, accessories, the train models and illustration design amongst other things as well as a prologue clip to the movie.
Model train and illustration of the Darjeeling Limited
The Whitman brothers monogrammed suitcases from The Darjeeling Limited
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Wes Anderson’s first stop-motion film representing with all the puppets, the work-in-progress designs and illustrations.
Exhibition intro to Fantastic Mr Fox
Miniature copy of Fantastic Mr Fox used in the movie
Fantastic Mr Fox puppets
Fantastic Mr Fox illustrations
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Moonrise Kingdom costumes
Detail of the custom made canoe used in Moonrise Kingdom
Original Artwork for the Movie Poster of Moonrise Kingdom
Note from The Illustrator: Original Artwork for The Movie Poster of Moonrise Kingdom
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Arguably the most popular Wes Anderson Movie (rating at 8.1 on IMDB), the Wes Anderson: The Archives Exhibition showcases the jaw-dropping (3m long), original model of the Grand Budapest Hotel along with the Oscar-winning costumes and The infamous ‘Boy with Apple’ portrait from the movie just to mention the favourites.
The Grand Budapest Hotel Set
Isle of Dogs (2018)
The second stop-motion film created by Wes Anderson, with a large collection of illustrations and maquette designs for the movie.
The Isle of Dogs Set
The French Dispatch (2021)
Dubbed as the ultimate masterpiece of Wes Anderson, the huge French Dispatch room exhibits costumes worn by Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson and Benicio del Toro, the life-size route map of Ennui-sur-Blase, the Issue of Content wall used by the journalist in the movie and more.
The French Dispatch Magazines
Issue of Content Wall from The French Dispatch
Ennui-sur-Blase Map from The French Dispatch
Asteroid City (2023)
Wes Anderson’s latest sci-fi comedy drama that was released in 2023 occupies the last large room at Wes Anderson: The Archives exhibition. Just as super detailed as the other rooms for his previous films, all costumes are here, including the hilarious vending machines.
A Section of the Room Dedicated to Asteroid City
Vending Machines from Asteroid City
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (2024)
One of the shorts in the series, titled The Swan is screened in a room. WA won an Oscar in 2024 for best live action short film with this short film.
The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
A smaller room is dedicated to the latest movie, celebrating its London debut, the Design Museum has added a capsule of newly revealed objects: amongst them a a Dunhill pipe and a bejewelled dagger by Harumi Klossowska de Rol.