When the world met Princess Tiana more than 15 years ago in The Princess and the Frog, they were introduced to something rare: A Disney princess who didn’t wait to be saved. Disney’s first Black princess and first American-born princess debuted on screen with a dream, her father’s gumbo recipe, a work ethic that could outlast any curse, and the spirit of New Orleans with its festive atmosphere and a city deeply rooted in community.
Since the beloved film’s debut in 2009, Princess Tiana’s story has expanded into Disney Parks and experiences, including the highly anticipated attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney theme parks, Tiana’s Palace at Disneyland, and the New Orleans-inspired lounge on board the Disney Wish. Now, Princess Tiana is extending that invitation beyond the screen and the parks, into a place where her story can reach even more families across the country.
Tiana’s Joyful Celebration is a new interactive traveling exhibition created by Walt Disney Imagineering in collaboration with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the world’s largest children’s museum. It’s the first exhibition ever created around Princess Tiana. It debuted on March 7, 2026, and in true New Orleanian fashion, the princess and her friends are pulling up a chair and inviting everyone to the table.
“I hope people feel this exhibit is a wonderful extension of a beloved character that they’ve grown up with, interacted with in the parks, or saw on television or the movies,” Jennifer Pace Robinson, president and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, said. “I also hope they leave with the love and appreciation for the rich culture of New Orleans.”
Princess Tiana’s First-Ever Exhibition Brings New Orleans Magic To Life
The exhibition is part museum experience, part cultural immersion, and entirely joyful. In the next chapter of Princess Tiana’s story, the experience drops families directly into the offices of Tiana’s Foods, where the whole community must work together to bring Princess Tiana’s Mardi Gras parade to life.
Once inside, families will have the chance to decorate one of many Mardi Gras season parade floats or experiment with classic New Orleans rhythm and sound as they join the Bayou Community Band alongside Prince Naveen. Guests may recognize some of the band characters, who were introduced in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
There’s a chance to visit Eudora’s (Princess Tiana’s mother) dress shop to design masks and parade costumes, create a light-up sno-ball alongside Mama Odie, and learn second line moves with the New Orleans icon, SecondLine Shorty. Of course, it’s impossible to have a New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration without good food. Families will have the chance to explore Princess Tiana’s love of cooking her father’s legendary gumbo recipe, which felt so real on screen.
That realness, of course, is rooted in something deeper and inspired by the legendary Chef Leah Chase. The late Chase was undisputedly known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine.” She is the chef and restaurateur behind the New Orleans staple, Dooky Chase Restaurant. Families will be introduced to Chef Chase through pictures as they enter the exhibition.
“We want kids to know when they enter that Princess Tiana is based on the story of Leah Chase, so the sense of authenticity begins there,” Carmen Smith, senior vice president of Creative Development for Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Experiences, told Travel Noire. “With this exhibit, we’re excited to see kids from every walk of life laugh, smile, see a character that looks like them, and have attributes that feel good for them, such as caring for people.”
The exhibit will remain at the Children’s Museum for the year. A museum ticket will get you into the exhibition at no additional cost. Following its run at the Children’s Museum, the exhibition will travel to a dozen more cities on a nationwide tour beginning in January 2027. Other stops include the COSI in Columbus, Ohio; the Discovery Cube in Los Angeles; The Henry Ford Museum in Michigan; Tampa’s Glazer Children’s Museum, and more.
Princess Tiana’s dream, it seems, is only just getting started.
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