When You Wish Upon A Star: A Treasury of Disney Music

October 28, 2026 - April 2027

Our next special exhibit is a charmingly nostalgic one that underscores the connection between museum founder Ben Sharpsteen and Walt Disney. Calistoga’s own Fred Bott, a longtime museum supporter, is sharing his extensive collection of over 75 Disney record albums, curated over many years. Spanning the 1960s and 70s, these colorful albums on vinyl capture the magic of Disney songs and soundtracks we grew up on from classic animated films, tv shows and specials going back to the 1950s.  

As museum fans know, Ben Sharpsteen had a long, distinguished career as a Disney animator, producer and director from 1929 – 1959, lending his talents to some of the best-loved animated films of all time, and winning 11 Academy Awards for the studio along the way for nature documentaries and travelogue films created for the Disney series True-Life Adventures and People and Places.

This exhibit, which opens in mid-October, is bound to make you feel like a kid again. Our thanks to Fred for his generosity sharing this collection with us. Watch for an announcement soon on the opening date for this event; follow us on Instagram (@sharpsteenmuseumcalistoga) & Facebook for updates. “When You Wish Upon A Star” will be on display from October 2026 - April 2027.