The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is excited to bring The Science Behind Pixar to South Florida on Saturday, October 10, inviting guests to step behind the scenes of some of Pixar’s most beloved films and discover the science, technology, engineering, art, and math that help bring these unforgettable stories and characters to life.
Created by the Museum of Science, Boston and Pixar Animation Studios, and featuring more than 50 interactive elements, The Science Behind Pixar showcases the computer science, mathematics, and creative problem-solving used by the artists and computer scientists to create these compelling films. The exhibition is organized into eight sections, each focusing on a step of Pixar’s technical process—Modeling, Rigging, Surfaces, Sets & Cameras, Animation, Simulation, Lighting, and Rendering—providing visitors with a unique view of the production pipeline and concepts used at Pixar every day.
Guests of all ages will engage in and learn about the filmmaking process through hands-on activities inspired by some of Pixar’s most treasured films, from the first-ever computer-animated feature film Toy Story to fan favorites including Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, WALL•E, and more.
“The Science Behind Pixar is an interactive exhibition that offers people a hands-on opportunity to understand how we make our films,” said Jim Morris, president of Pixar Animation Studios. “At Pixar, we use science, technology, engineering, art and math—along with a significant dash of creativity and fun—and this exhibit is truly a great demonstration of how all those ingredients come together in our filmmaking process.”
The Science Behind Pixar offers a variety of hands-on activities that empower visitors to explore the STEM concepts behind Pixar’s films in a fun and engaging format. To better understand the science and math that go into creating the worlds and characters of Pixar’s films, visitors will hear directly from members of the studio’s production teams and experience different roles within the production pipeline through screen-based activities and physical interactive elements.
In Sets & Cameras, visitors will discover how camera placement and angles created a bug’s-eye view for A Bug’s Life. In Modeling, guests can create a digital sculpture from an artist’s sketch, while Lighting challenges visitors to solve problems similar to those Pixar faced when creating underwater scenes in Finding Nemo. Rigging showcases how digital models are given virtual skeletons that allow animators to pose them, while Surfaces explores the techniques that give characters and environments their color and texture.
Guests can also take photos with human-size recreations of some of Pixar’s most beloved characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode, and WALL•E.
“At Frost Science, we are passionate about helping people discover that science is everywhere, including in the stories and characters they know and love,” said Dr. Doug Roberts, President and CEO of Frost Science. “The Science Behind Pixar perfectly embodies our mission by demonstrating how creativity, technology, engineering, mathematics, and imagination come together to create extraordinary experiences. We are excited to bring this exhibition to South Florida and inspire future innovators, storytellers, artists, and problem-solvers of all ages.”
Throughout the exhibition, guests will engage in hands-on, screen-based, and physical activities that explore the computational thinking skills behind Pixar’s creative process in a compelling and participatory way. By placing guests in the role of artists, animators, and computer scientists, The Science Behind Pixar demonstrates how creativity and STEM work together to bring animated worlds to life.
The Science Behind Pixar will be on view at Frost Science from Saturday, October 10, 2026, through Sunday, April 11, 2027. Admission to the exhibition is included with all museum admission tickets.
The Science Behind Pixar was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. © Disney/Pixar.
For tickets and additional information, visit frostscience.org/pixar. Follow Frost Science on Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram @frostscience.
About the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Located in Downtown Miami’s Maurice A. Ferré Park, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a leading-edge science museum dedicated to sharing the power of science, sparking wonder and investigation, and fueling innovation for the future. Sitting on four acres, the 250,000-square-foot museum is divided into four distinct buildings: the Frost Planetarium, Aquarium, and the North and West Wings. At Frost Science, visitors can explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in an experiential setting with interactive exhibitions and unique shows. The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. This project is supported by the Building Better Communities Bond Program and the City of Miami. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. Learn more at frostscience.org.
Support for The Science Behind Pixar
The Science Behind Pixar is funded through support by Google, members of the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative (SMEC), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
About Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. The Northern California studio has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL•E,” “Up,” “Toy Story 3,” “Brave,” “Inside Out,” and “Coco.” Its movies have won 35 Academy Awards® and have grossed more than $14 billion at the worldwide box office. “Onward,” Pixar’s 22nd feature, opens in theaters on March 6, 2020.
This exhibition was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. © Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.
