The House of the Future
These days, the hot new Disney attraction is thrilling and fast. But several Disney experiences remain beloved for their lo-fi aesthetic including the garden tour at EPCOT's Living With the Land or the distinctly modernist aesthetic of famed artist Mary Blair forever preserved in the It's a Small World ride. They're kitschy now but at the time these attractions were examples of cutting-edge tech and the forefront of design.
Walt Disney was highly inspired by the World's Fair and exhibits that blended education and entertainment. In its first decade, Disneyland had a chemistry museum — yes, really — and even a designer showhouse. A blend of design and tech, the Monsanto House of the Future opened in 1957 and is the stuff of Disney and midcentury modern legend. An estimated 20 million guests walked through this highly curated, fully functioning home (which predicted some of the smart home features we now use) during the decade it was on display. And while the home doesn't exist anymore, you can get a taste of that midcentury magic just across the street from Disneyland. Here's the history of this fantastically retro pod and how one hotel is bringing it back in a new way.
