Have you ever wondered what the Pixar Campus is like?
Lucky for you, I got the incredible opportunity to spend a few days at the Pixar campus in Emeryville, California. Oh how I wish I could have brought you all with me.
Pixar Animation Studios is an exclusive place to visit.
There are no public tours. The only way to visit is to know an employee or be asked.
I received an all-inclusive trip to Pixar as part of the Incredibles 2 event in exchange for my honest opinions.
Pixar is a place where creativity is celebrated and alive in places you least expect.
Get ready to be blown away by the incredible world of Pixar!
Behold the Magic of Pixar Campus
If you get the opportunity to go, do not walk, RUN to be a part of a Pixar Animation Studios tour. Oh, and bring your camera too because you will have a ball…literally!
The Steve Jobs Building
Our first visit was inside The Steve Jobs building. Filled with natural light, this building is the center of it all. Photography is only allowed in certain areas. Inside this building, there is a cafeteria for employees and visitors, a gift shop that I spent all my money at, a theatre, art galleries, and employee offices. During our tour, we were able to walk throughout the lobby freely. With a tour guide, we were able to see the art galleries but we were not permitted to walk behind the locked security doors which I assume are employee offices and conference rooms.
Atrium
Welcome to Pixar where you run into your favorite Pixar Pals at every step. It’s not unusual to see superheroes, monsters, villains, cars, and a few Oscars along your tour.
Concept art from Incredibles 2 covers most of the lobby walls. The artwork is switched out to reflect the latest Pixar movie release. Don’t worry, you will also run into a few Pixar classic characters!
Fun fact: Steve Jobs bought the company from LucasArts in 1986 and served as its Chairman and then CEO until it was purchased by Disney in 2006. Steve Jobs never made a Pixar movie, but he did design this building.
Art Galleries
On the second floor of the Steve Jobs building, guests can discover Pixar art galleries focused on the most recent Pixar movie releases. We weren’t permitted to take photos, but thankfully they provided a few photos that we could share with our readers. I am so glad because these areas proved to be my favorite.
The building is spilt in half with two separate art galleries. On one side it was Incredibles 2 themed while the other was COCO. Pixar switches out the art galleries depending on the most recent movies out. These art galleries comprise of original drawings, concept art and sculptures of characters.
Inside note: Part of the reason photography isn’t permitted is because the storyboards are present which could contain potential spoilers. I tried to hide my eyes during those parts.
Every detail of the art galleries has been thought out. Pixar staff paints the walls and designs the space according to the movie down to the employee break room and kitchen area. I particularly loved the bright and bold colors in the Pixar COCO kitchen.
We could have explored the art galleries for days! To see how far the original sketches come to produce a full-fledged motion picture is an incredible experience.
Pixar Photo Opportunities
As we walked through the Pixar campus I had my camera out at all times. I never knew when we would run into something photo-worthy. The attention to detail is amazing including the look of my Media Pass! Team Violet all the way!
Touring the campus with a crowd? You must take a photo in the outdoor Pixar theatre.
Grab a basketball and get active. There’s also a lap pool and fitness club for employees!
Archives Tour
Also on campus is the Pixar Archives Building. It’s an organized person’s dream world. Every item ever made for a Pixar film is sorted, organized and preserved in this area.
We got to see the original art concepts from The Incredibles. This was an idea for Edna’s overall look! Can you imagine her looking this way?
There are rows and rows of artwork from every Pixar film including the short films.
Create a Super Fun
Our action-packed day continued as our creativity skills were put to the test. Alonso Martinez, Costume Designer, showed us how the superhero creation process starts. He empowered us to design our own unique Supers using a similar method using shapes, colors, and images.
Meet Allegra, who fights Spring allergies using antihistamines. Wishful thinking on my part thanks to the crazy Texas weather we are having lately. It’s wreaking havoc on my sinuses. But, I digress…
Touring the Pixar Campus was an experience that will be forever ingrained in my mind. I was a kid in a candy shop with my eyes wide open. Having the chance to explore the world of Pixar is something I will never take for granted. The energy I felt is indescribable.
