Preserving Disney’s Priceless Documents in a Digital Legacy
Digitising the Visionary Archive of Marty Sklar for Future Generations
ARC recently had the distinct honour of working on a remarkable and historically significant project: the comprehensive digitisation and preservation of the personal archives of Marty Sklar. As one of Walt Disney’s most trusted creative visionaries and a guiding force behind many of Disney’s most beloved theme park experiences, Marty’s contributions to Imagineering are legendary. His archive represents decades of innovation, creativity, and storytelling that helped shape the magic of Disney parks across the globe.
The collection is nothing short of extraordinary. It contains original handwritten notes, concept sketches, internal memos, correspondence, scripts, planning documents, photographs, and presentation materials – many of which had never been seen outside of the Imagineering offices. These items offer an intimate, behind-the-scenes view into the creative process of a man who helped bring Walt’s ideas to life and mentored generations of Imagineers after him.
With meticulous attention to detail, ARC undertook the sensitive task of scanning, digitising, and cataloguing this vast archive. Each document was handled with the utmost care and scanned in ultra-high resolution to ensure every pencil line, ink mark, and paper texture was preserved exactly as it appeared. These digital assets were then carefully organised and archived using secure and accessible digital storage solutions, allowing researchers, historians, and Disney enthusiasts worldwide to engage with Marty’s work without risk of damage to the originals.
This initiative was not just about preservation – it was about storytelling. Every folder and file tell a part of a bigger narrative; one of imagination, dedication, and creative excellence. By digitising these materials, ARC helped ensure that Marty Sklar’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of dreamers, designers, and storytellers.
Bob Weis, former President of Walt Disney Imagineering and a close colleague of Marty, expressed his deep gratitude for ARC’s role in the project:
“We’re incredibly thankful to the entire team at ARC, at every part of it, for the incredible work that you’ve done… you will be a part of all these projects that move forward and memorialised in something that we all did that was hard, was crazy, and… we got it done, and now we are going to be so happy, and so will all the fans.”
— Bob Weis, Former President, Walt Disney Imagineering
This project exemplifies ARC’s deep respect for cultural heritage and it’s technical excellence in the field of digital preservation. We are proud to have played a part in protecting a vital chapter of Disney history and making it accessible for generations to come.
At ARC, we believe that preserving the past through modern technology helps inspire the future. We’re dedicated to ensuring that priceless collections like Marty Sklar’s are not only preserved – but brought to life in new, meaningful ways.
