In Residence January 17 through May 10, 2026 

Member preview events January 17 and January 18. 

Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out, the first interactive exhibit based on the award-winning film kicks off 2026 in a big way. This sense-sational exhibit helps visitors – young and old – understand the important role emotions, memory and imagination play in our everyday lives. Focusing on the five core emotions featured in Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear – hands-on and digital experiences in the exhibit offer opportunities to explore some of the ways we express our emotions – and recognize emotions in others, too. 

Graphics of characters Fear, Anger, Joy, Sadness and Disgust from Pixar's Inside Out.

Meet Riley's emotional team! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear work together to guide her through everyday life.

A large mirror with a graphic of character Joy and a child looking into the mirror with her hands on her hips.

Discover how emotions help us understand ourselves and connect with others.

What You’ll Do and Learn: 

  • Step into Headquarters to explore the range and intensity of emotions at the Control Panel. 
  • Explore some of the ways we show how we feel with our faces and bodies at the Emotions Mirrors.  
  • Think about an important memory and how it made them feel - or show how they’re feeling currently by creating a glowing Memory Sphere. 
  • Use their imagination to create a story and perform it at Dream Productions. 
  • Work to keep the train on track – what feelings do you have when you control and balance the Train of Thought?  
  • Explore how emotions work together as they stack and balance the Emotion Blocks. 
Two children holding puppets over a small stage while another child watches from the audience.

Encounter the five core emotions featured in the film and learn how each plays an important role in our daily lives.

This exhibit is free with Museum admission. Get tickets here.  

About Inside Out 

Pixar’s hit animated feature Inside Out is the story of 11-year-old Riley, who like all of us, is guided by her emotions — Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness. The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco as Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive. Inside Out was released in 2015. The popularity of the subject matter has spun off a sequel that was released in 2024, video games and two theme park attractions. 

The exhibition was developed by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. © Disney/Pixar. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.