27 Magical Facts About Pixar
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Visiting Pixar Animation Studios is an incredible experience. You can feel the creativity not just in conversations with people who work there but in the place itself — nearly every detail inside and outside has a special meaning behind it. We were lucky to spend some time on the campus in Emeryville, CA, to learn about Inside Out, which came out this Summer. Ahead, check out our favorite fun facts.
Pixar sits on Park Avenue, so there are several NYC references throughout campus, like a Brooklyn building.
The main building is named after Steve Jobs, who bought the company from Lucasfilm.
Inside the Jobs building, you're greeted by Luigi and Guido from Cars.
. . . and Sulley and Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc.
Sulley's jacket was extremely hard to make because of the spikes on his back.
The building used to be a canning factory, and there are glass and steel details as an homage.
Bonus fact: the bridge inside the Jobs building is curved slightly upward so you see the entire view of the place when you step in.
You can play foosball and pool in the entrance, too.
You'll also see life-size Lego statues of Buzz and Woody from Toy Story.
They were the first such models built and took six weeks to build. Buzz is made from 25,000 Legos superglued together and is five feet, three inches tall. Woody is made out of 17,200 Legos and is six feet, six inches.
Jobs loved the brick pattern from a local coffee building so much that he had it re-created for Pixar.
There's a glass cabinet filled with Oscars, Golden Globes, and more awards.
Stainless steel characters are hidden on the floor throughout campus.
The fully stocked cereal bar is a hit among employees.
For every new film, posters are placed throughout the main areas.
The women's bathroom sign is Bo Peep. The guys get Woody.
Bonus fact: originally, Steve Jobs wanted there to only be one bathroom so that employees would talk to each other and really get to know one another.
Employees still have an old-school room for snail mail.
The Pixar store in the Jobs building sells items you can't find anywhere else.
Like special hats, pins, apparel, and mugs.
In the main lobby, a sign tells employees when the next buses are coming.
The outside coffee tables and chairs were made from wine barrels.
In the Brooklyn building, another set of Sulley and Mike Wazowski statues greet guests.
So do the Toy Story aliens.
Employees can play on the soccer field . . .
Or swim in the pool . . .
Or hang out in the amphitheater.
They've also got tennis and volleyball courts to choose from.
There's a secret speakeasy that opens with a switch hidden in a bust of Shakespeare. Several celebs have had a drink there.
It's not the only one — there are almost 20 bars on campus.
PS we couldn't take a picture of the speakeasy, so this will have to do.