On 23rd February 2006 London's first cartoon museum opened to the public. Situated at 35 Little Russell Street, a stone's throw from The British Museum, The Cartoon Museum exhibits the very finest examples of British cartoons, caricature, and comic art from the 18th century to the present day.

NOW SHOWING

Bagpuss, Bob the Builder, the Clangers, Danger Mouse, Famous Fred, Father Christmas,Ivor the Engine, Morph, Noggin the Nog, the Pogles, Roobarb, the Snowman, and Peppa Pig. Wallace and Gromit.

Toy Tales features some of the most popular animated children’s programmes produced in Britain over the last fifty years. Watched by generations of children - and adults – these animated characters retain the power to entertain and enchant long after they first appeared.

The exhibition has something for children and parents alike. There are over 100 items on show including drawn backgrounds and cut-outs, models, posters, animation cels and even a Clangers set. It provides insights into the creative process of animation including scripts, storyboards, preparatory drawings, animators’ notes and ‘animatics’ [early versions] as well as clips from the various films.

The programmes were created using a variety of techniques – stop-motion using cut-outs or models, cel, drawn and, more recently, computer animation. In contrast to the huge American and Japanese studio systems, British animation has always been more of a cottage industry, small-scale and with an intimate feel ranging from the wacky to the wistful.

Some characters are the creations of a small team, or of just two people like Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, who had no formal training in animation but were gifted with a rare talent for imaginative storytelling. Others, such as Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit, started out as the brainchild of one individual but have since developed into grander enterprises and gone on to international success. Many of the stories, like The Snowman, involve fantasy and magic or conjure up the atmosphere of times past. Others such as Ivor the Engine and Bob the Builder tap into children’s everyday fantasies of becoming an engine driver or a digger operator.

Humour is central to the appeal of so many of these programmes. The witty and charming scripts of, for instance, The Clangers, Roobarb and Dangermouse have ensured them a following among adults. Many of the stories are set within families, be they pigs, toys, machines, aliens or people.

These tales have become treasured icons of British culture enjoyed by generations of children and retain a hold on their imaginations and affections long after they have grown up.

Ronald Searle – Graphic Master Catalogue
The catalogue includes a number of essays on different aspects of Searle’s work. As a mark of the great esteem in which he is held, a number of the world’s leading cartoonists and filmmakers have produced artworks in homage to Searle and written pieces especially for the catalogue: Steve Bell, Roger Law, Mike Leigh, Uli Meyer, Arnold Roth, Martin Rowson, Gerald Scarfe, Posy Simmonds and Ralph Steadman.

160-pages Price £14.99 plus P & P: UK - £3.70; Europe - £7.50; Rest of World – Airmail £13.50 or £7.50 surface mail.

To order phone 020 7580 8155, send a cheque or credit card details by fax to 020 7631 0793 or by post to
The Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH

For more information or images please contact Anita O’Brien on 020 7580 8155 or  info@cartoonmuseum.org

Catalogues of previous exhibitions still available
Only available at the Cartoon Museum see bottom of this page

*Some highlights from this unique Museum

** Rare and original artwork on loan from The Beano, the Dandy, and Topper including The Bash Street Kids, Roger the Dodger, Billy the Whizz, Desperate Dan, Beryl the Peril and of course Dennis the Menace.

* Classic works by Gillray including The Plum Pudding and, John Bull - taking a luncheon, and The Zenith of French Glory.

* Cartoons in 3D including Gerald Scarfe¹s memorable Chairman Mao, Scarfe's caricatured original leather armchair from 1971.

* Great joke cartoons by Larry, Kipper Williams, Tony Husband, Nick Newman and many more.

* Emett¹s working ‘Fairway Birdie’ (made by this eccentric cartoonist whose wacky contraptions appeared in Chitty Bang Bang, and at The Festival of Britain.)

* Classic war cartoons including Sir David Low¹s ‘All Behind you, Winston’, and Bruce Bairnsfather¹s, ‘If you know a better ‘Ole...’

* Colour mural painted by top cartoonists including Steve Bell, Dave Brown, Martin Rowson, Peter Brookes, Chris Riddell, MAC and Hunt Emerson.

*Annual cover drawings by Carl Giles featuring the Giles family and his immortal Granny.

* A Museum shop packed with books, prints, cards and cartoon ephemera, and a Young Artists¹ Gallery with facilities for drawing and learning about cartoons, children¹s and adult cartooning, animation classes and family fun days.

* The 3000 books in The Heneage Library, will be available, by appointment, for browsing and research as well as a dedicated comics library upstairs.

...............and over 250 original cartoons over two floors !

See Events page for Beano and Dandy Children's Activities.