Inside The World of Tim Burton: My Review of the Design Museum’s Most Immersive Exhibition
- Nina Kay
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Ok… I know this post is ridiculously late — but in my defence, I literally went in the very last week of the exhibition. So even if I had written this the second I got home, I still wouldn’t have been able to tell you to go and book it. And honestly? I actually feel bad about that, because I absolutely adored this entire experience. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s probably the best exhibition I’ve been to in my life.
As someone with ADHD, I usually struggle to stay locked-in for long — museums, exhibitions, lectures… my brain just drifts. But this? This somehow defied all odds. I was glued from the moment I stepped inside until the second I walked out, and even then I still didn’t feel ready to leave.
I’ve always loved Tim Burton’s films — especially Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride — but I’ll be honest, I didn’t actually know very much about the man behind all the beautifully weird worlds I’ve grown up watching. So getting to peek inside his brain through decades of drawings, notes, costumes, and characters was honestly magical. And yes — fun fact — Tim Burton actually started his career working for Disney! I had no idea.
What surprised me the most was how personal the entire exhibition felt. It wasn’t just “here are some props from the movies.” It went right back to his childhood sketches, where you could already see those unusual shapes, melancholic little faces, and oddly adorable monsters forming long before he ever touched a film set. It’s wild — the Tim Burton ‘look’ was there from the very beginning.
Throughout the rooms, you move through different eras of his life: the early days, the Disney chapter, and then all the iconic films that basically shaped alternative cinema — Beetlejuice, Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Big Fish, Frankenweenie, Wednesday, Alice in Wonderland… you name it.
And the way the museum showcased everything was so beautifully done. The sketches, paintings, and scribbled ideas were displayed alongside original stop-motion models, costumes, and these small sculptural installations that looked like they’d stepped straight out of his films. Some rooms had little lighting effects referencing different movies — like silhouettes and shadows designed after Corpse Bride, Nevermore Academy, or Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. It was such a subtle touch but honestly… SO effective.
A few pieces made me stop in my tracks — like the early conceptual sketches of Jack Skellington, or a rough drawing of the Joker from Burton’s Batman. They were so different in style, but both so distinctly “Burton.” You can really see the range he has — the soft, sad characters, the creepy ones, the funny ones, the slightly grotesque but somehow still adorable ones.
And then of course the models… seeing pieces connected to Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride up close almost didn’t feel real. The textures, the details, the tiny quirks you never notice on screen — it all hits differently when it’s right in front of you. And the Wednesday display (yes, including that gorgeous black ballgown Jenna Ortega wore) pulled me straight back into the series. It honestly felt less like an exhibition and more like stepping directly into Tim Burton’s mind — wandering through all the worlds he’s created, piece by piece.
There was even an immersive hallway full of those classic Burton motifs — stripes, spirals, shadows, offbeat little creatures — and yes, I absolutely took photos there because how could I not?
Even though the exhibition is over, I uploaded some TikTok videos in case you didn’t manage to go — I hope they make you feel even a tiny bit included, because the whole thing really was such a special experience.
If this exhibition ever tours again, or if it pops up somewhere else in the world, it is 100% worth the trip. It was the perfect blend of nostalgia, creativity, and that cozy gothic weirdness only Tim Burton can pull off. I left feeling inspired, emotional, and ready to rewatch literally every film he’s ever made.
All the Fascinating Things I Learned at The World of Tim Burton:
Born to be different (1958, Burbank, California): Tim Burton grew up in a quiet suburban neighbourhood, which honestly felt a bit… bland. So naturally, he escaped into drawing, sketching, and making mini-movies on his Super 8mm camera. Can you imagine being that creative as a kid just to survive suburbia?
Childhood imagination: Burton was obsessed with horror, sci-fi, comics, myths, and fairy tales. Even holidays left a mark—when Burbank decked the streets with festive decorations, it sparked his love for theatrical, over-the-top whimsy, which you see in almost everything he’s done.
Jack Skellington’s origin story: At nine, Tim asked his mom to make a Halloween skeleton costume. THAT skeleton would later become Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). I mean, iconic from age nine!
Early wins: In high school, he was already killing it. He won local art competitions, designed a “Crush Litter” sign for the city, and even illustrated a newsletter cover. Clearly, his talents weren’t going unnoticed.
Stop-motion love: Burton discovered stop-motion animation as a kid and was inspired by Ray Harryhausen’s films, like Jason and the Argonauts. That frame-by-frame magic stuck with him forever, shaping classics like Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
College years (1976, CalArts): Tim won a scholarship to the California Institute of the Arts. His final project, Stalk of the Celery Monster (1979), got him noticed by Disney. And yes—he actually started his career at Disney!
Disney days (1980s): Burton worked as an apprentice animator, drawing foxes for The Fox and the Hound(yawn) and creating monsters for The Black Cauldron (mostly unused). Frustrating? Yes. But it was here he honed his unique, quirky style.
Edward Scissorhands (1990): Edward literally started as a childhood sketch—a man with scissors for hands living in a castle attic. Watching him navigate suburbia is basically watching Tim’s own childhood feelings come to life: isolated, misunderstood, but so full of heart.
Batman & Gotham (1989-1992): Burton brought Batman to life with a Gotham that’s dark, vertical, and inspired by New York + Gaudí. He gave us the Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman in a way that felt operatic, eerie, and cinematic.
World-building magic: Burton’s films always have a “normal world” vs. a fantastical “other” world. He collaborates with set and costume designers to make every swirl, stitch, and shadow feel like it belongs in his imagination.
Edward Scissorhands’ suburbia: Designer Bo Welch painted pastel houses inspired by American sweets (Necco wafers, anyone?), turning a suburban street into something eerily perfect for the story. Residents were paid, but some houses needed a little persuasion to fit Burton’s vision.
Influence on fashion: Burton’s gothic-romantic aesthetic has inspired fashion legends like Alexander McQueen. McQueen even collaborated with Tim on runway sketches—talk about style goals!
Signature style & themes: Horror + humour, melancholy + whimsy, reality + fantasy. And the misunderstood outsiders? Edward Scissorhands, Jack Skellington, and Corpse Bride. Always the heart of his stories.
Legacy: Tim Burton isn’t just a filmmaker—he’s a world-builder, a stop-motion pioneer, and a pop culture icon. His imagination continues to inspire movies, fashion, art, and even us mere mortals lucky enough to walk through his exhibitions.
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