If Oz (thankfully) refuses to send a tornado to bring you to its enchanted lands, then you must find your own way there. Dave was unwilling to let me try the hot air balloon route, probably for the best, so we had to drive.
I know it's super touristy but when traveling through Kansas, isn't it a requirement to visit one of the Wizard of Oz museums? We chose the one in Liberal, Kansas as it was closest to Dodge City.
Dave hanging out with the Tin Man
Is the museum and tour a bit cheesy? Of course they are, but that's where the pure delight comes in. Touring Dorothy's house provided more entertainment than expected from this 1930's replica of life in the Midwest. I ran across a few items I had used during my childhood. Talk about feeling a little anachronistic (I'm not that old!).
Fortunately for me, we moved quickly to the next part of the tour, following Dorothy's adventure through the Land of Oz.
Sadly, these photos tend to take away some of the magic as their starkness lacks the ambient soundtrack and darker lighting, which when combined with the enchanting stagecraft, created a truly enjoyable experience.
My favorite part though was the collection of memorabilia at the end of the tour. Hardback Oz books I knew of but had forgotten about were right before my eyes...behind glass and monitored by cameras to keep greedy hands at bay but not the point.
This made me wonder if these lesser known Oz books have been republished. For the die-hard Oz fans out there, they have and are (naturally) available through Amazon.
In addition to books and maps, pictures, clothing and general items were laid out for us to peer at as well. The couple featured below are Jeane La Barbera (standing at 24" tall) and her husband, Robert Drake (standing at 6' tall). She was the smallest munchkin in the movie and appeared in numerous scenes. The dress and shoes are hers.
Then, after the oohhhs and aahhs were over just like that, we were back in Kansas.
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