The moment someone mentions cheese and a cracking invention, you already know exactly who we’re talking about.
For generations of Brits, Wallace and Gromit have been part of growing up – right up there with school dinners, rainy afternoons and endless cups of tea. From the living room sofa to museum walls, the nation’s favourite knitted‑vest‑wearing inventor and his long‑suffering (and deeply expressive) dog have officially become cultural icons.
Right now, they’re being celebrated in style at The Harris in Preston. So much so, in fact, that it took me three attempts to actually get inside.
Read more: Wallace and Gromit exhibition queues for the Harris reach new lengths
The first time, the queue was almost impossible to join, stretching up towards the second floor, swallowed by a sea of people. The second time, the queue had already been cut off for the day due to overwhelming demand. Third time lucky: I arrived at 9.30am, waited just over an hour, and finally made it in.
A small price to pay for Wallace and Gromit.
Before even stepping into the exhibition, it’s worth saying that The Harris itself is stunning. I took time to wander through the library, now re‑opened as part of the £19 million transformation. What was once a fairly closed‑off space is now bright and spread across multiple levels, with new seating and shelves that stretch far beyond what you’d expect.
As you enter the exhibition, you’re faced with a map… and casually informed that you’re now on West Wallaby Street. Look closely and you’ll spot a cheeky Feathers McGraw peeking through a hole in the fence.
Wallace and Gromit might be quintessentially English, but they’re also unmistakably Northern. While creator Nick Park is very much a Preston man, the characters live in a fictional version of Wigan, and just to complicate things further, Wallace has a Yorkshire accent. It’s led to years of affectionate debate between fans, each laying claim to the duo. Judging by the smiles in the room, it’s a rivalry everyone seems happy to share.
What really stood out, though, was who was there. Grandparents guide the very newest generation through the exhibition. Children leave clutching cuddly Gromits or Shaun the Sheep. Watching kids walk out with characters their grandparents grew up with was a poignant reminder of just how long Wallace and Gromit have been an integral part of British life.
The exhibition roots Nick Park’s creativity firmly in Lancashire. Stories of growing up visiting family in Preston and Penwortham sit alongside the small details that later made their way into the films – patterned wallpaper, tea trays, garden gnomes, lampshades. There’s even a quote recalling trips into Preston town centre: Brady’s record store, coffee at Brucciani’s, and hours spent in The Harris library searching for anything on animation or film.
A life‑sized recreation of Wallace’s front room feels like walking straight into the telly, but also into a real house. It’s Wallace and Gromit’s home, but it could just as easily be your grandad’s and perfectly captures the everyday interiors Nick Park grew up with, making the familiar feel magical.
A small door marked “Nick’s Room” leads you away from this recognisable space and into something brighter and more chaotic. It a signal that you’re about to step inside where a young Nick Park began building the Wallace and Gromit universe piece by piece.
From here, the exhibition opens out into sketches, early models and original clay figures actually used in the films. Spacecraft, props and characters sit just inches away, and it’s almost surreal to see them up close.
Feathers McGraw appears throughout the exhibition in all his many forms, from the infamous rubber‑glove disguise to scenes frozen mid‑crime. You’ll spot him with the remote control, inside a glass bottle, and even stretched out on the bed from The Wrong Trousers. That film, Nick explains, was his first real attempt at telling a proper story, inspired by Alfred Hitchcock. It still holds up as one of the greatest chase sequences in animation. The model train finale alone is worth the visit.
Not all villains wear rubber gloves and Nick Park admits to a moment of mild panic when naming one of his villains Preston, the intimidating guard dog from A Close Shave. He admits he was slightly worried about how people in Preston might take that. Thankfully, we seem to have forgiven him.
There’s plenty on The Curse of the Were‑Rabbit, too, including a fascinating and slightly unsettling look at how the Were‑Rabbit was built, from skeletal armature to fully‑furred final form. The exhibition also touches on DreamWorks’ involvement, the big‑name voices, and the wonderfully varied international titles.
Throughout, you’re constantly reminded just how much work goes into every second of stop‑motion animation with hand‑drawn sketches, intricate models, and behind‑the‑scenes videos that show the patience, humour and craftsmanship behind it all.
The final stop is the gift shop, and it’s hard to resist. Pin badges fly off the hooks, Shaun the Sheep plushies quietly judge your willpower, and judging by the number of bags heading for the exit, many people give in.
Fittingly, I ended the day the same way Nick Park once did – with a trip to Brucciani’s. It felt like the perfect full circle.
Some friendships are built on trust, loyalty and mutual respect. Others are built on cheese and last‑minute problem solving.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just faintly nostalgic, Wallace & Gromit: A Case at the Museum is funny, fascinating and full of heart.
Cracking stuff.
Wallace & Gromit: A Case at the Museum is at The Harris until 4 January 2026.
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