Anyone who knows me understands 100% how excited I am to be in the Wizard’s “balloon” at the Oz Museum. What folks might not know is how I found myself alone in Wamego, Kansas, in the first place. No, the Wizard’s balloon didn’t lift up and take me there, although I would have embraced that journey as much as the one I’m currently on. It was a little less magical than all that, I was there for a work conference.
I decided with the share of a recent field trip to the American Museum of Magic, in Marshall, MI, it was high time I shared some other memorable trips I’ve had along the way. My travels to the Oz Museum and what I learned about one of the most beloved stories to my heart, as well as the author who brought it to life, is one of the more memorable moments for me as an author. It was one of the few times I’ve traveled alone and ventured beyond my hotel room during a visit. Lone traveling has been a level up for me and something I’m trying to do more of instead of missing out on the experience just because I can’t find anyone to go with me, especially when the place is so deeply personal to me.
I will share a bit about the museum and then a few things I learned about L. Frank Baum, the author. We will finish with some tidbits about one of my all-time favorite books/movies, The Wizard Of Oz. Ready? Put on your silver shoes, and follow the yellow brick road! (Yup, they were silver in the books, red in the movie because they were playing with Technicolor for one of the first times ever). Didn’t know that? Well, let me share what else I learned!
Oz Museum, Wamego, KS
I traveled to the Oz Museum in Wamego, KS from Kansas City, MO by car which took me through some rural areas of Kansas for the better part of the 1.5 hours it took one way. I was in Kansas City for a work conference and had traveled early enough to accommodate my time at the museum. Since becoming an author, I try to find something bookish to do on every trip I go on now, which has taken me down some pretty fun rabbit holes. Even though the drive was really long from MI to KS and I was adding another 3 hours round trip, I’m so glad I made the extra effort before the conference started.
I didn’t spend a lot of time in the downtown area, which is pretty small, but I did note that they were all in when it comes to its claim to fame. The businesses all get into the fun, and you can find their offerings on the visitors portal by clicking here. You can’t miss the Oz Museum, which is painted… you guessed it… emerald green, and is located in a large row building in the center of town. It is estimated that they have anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 guests each year which is a lot considering how rural this area was. I went in 2023 before the release of Wicked, so I would imagine they have made some additions since I was last there.
It was a decent-sized space with features surrounding it such as a “Yellow Brick Road” with wall art, and themed shops and restaurants. The entrance to the Oz museum took you right into the gift shop, filled with Wizard Of Oz themed gifts, such as books, bags, ornaments, and shirts, and where a smiling, oversized tin-man welcomed you. The ticket was $10.00, and for those who can’t make it to the museum, they do sell items on their website which I have listed below in the resources. For fans of everything Oz, they have some great stuff!
They have some original costumes, and displays for not only The Wizard Of Oz, staring Judy Garland, but also the movie Return To Oz, with Fairuza Balk, and Oz the Great and Powerful, with James Franco. What was interesting was seeing the posters, photographs, and hand-written notes from the sets, and learning the stories behind them. I read a lot of the information that was provided, so in all I think the museum took about 2 hours tops to get through.
I also ran into Jack Pumpkinhead from Return To Oz toward the end of the tour of the Oz Museum… so glad Mombi wasn’t around! She was always a bit creepy, played by Jean Marsh, who passed away at age 90 in 2025. On a side note, when I looked up what else she had been in I saw that 9 to 5 had been made into a TV series in the 80s, a fact I don’t remember at all which is crazy since that is one of my all-time favorite movies! Ms. Marsh played “Roz” the snoopy co-worker always spying and reporting… which, of course she did! Considering the Mombi character, this makes complete sense.
Here’s another side note, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t written about the title song sung by Dolly Parton in my Soundtrack series, especially since it got a remix for the entrepreneurial era I find myself in. I added it to my soundtrack in a recent post which you can read here. Sort of a fun trip down memory lane, and I will be watching this movie again, especially since it is a timeless message, even if the hair isn’t. If you haven’t seen it and have even the smallest feminist bone in your body, you will want to rent it today! It’s a Classic! Can’t get better than Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton in one movie! But back to Baum.
L. Frank Baum
What I found most impressive was L. Frank Baum’s tenacity. I learned he was always a dreamer, and tried his hand at everything he could to make a living doing what he loved. When he was younger they tried military school to straighten him out, it didn’t work, not at least for what his father hoped it would accomplish I’m sure. What the (most likely awful) experience did was give the young creative plenty of fodder for his wild imagination. This image I took of a brick from the site is definitely what ended up in the book in my mind. I’m sure plenty of the adults he came in contact there did as well. Not that I know that authors do that… of course. Moving on…
Baum started out at 17 printing his own journal (with his father’s help), then in theatre, as a playwright, then as owner of a newspaper. It wasn’t until 1900, at age 44 that he, along with his partner/illustrator W.W. Denslow, published The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. It became an instant best seller. The Oz Museum had several displays describing and highlighting his work which included several pen names.
Two years after publishing the first book in the Oz series, he teamed up with some composers and tapped into his theatre background. He came up with a musical version of his story, shortening the title down to Wizard Of Oz and toured Broadway for a couple of mildly successful seasons. The musical was geared towards adults, and was loosely based on the book, which he continued to use as a base for a lot of his ideas without a lot of success. He wrote more books, suggested the idea of a “Marvelous Land Of Oz” (amusement park-type for children), and continued to finance musicals, eventually claiming bankruptcy in 1911. In 1914 he started the “Oz Film Manufacturing Company” in order to make films, but by then the Oz name wasn’t one anyone wanted to get behind, and he eventually transferred the ownership in the company and continued writing.
Under various pen names, Baum wrote 41 novels, 14 Oz books, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. That was just the published stuff. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; but he passed in 1919 just a few days before his 63rd birthday, and 20 years before the release of the 1939 version of The Wizard Of Oz, which is one of the most recognized movies of all time. I thought about how proud he would have been to see it come to life in the way he had always dreamed of… and then I came across a quote by him at the end of my stay at the Oz Museum:
Knowing that he had been driven his entire life to do something “fame-worthy” only to come to an age where he understood that the audience he ended up reaching was the only one that mattered, was a special moment for me as a writer. I believe, Mr. Baum, you succeeded… and that the children like it. The world you created as you escaped the reality you were dealt, is still bringing us all joy and magic. It certainly changed my life, and I thank you for sharing your stories with me as both a child and adult.
Wizard Of Oz
It has been years since I’ve read The Wizard Of Oz, and the subsequent books, and as you can see I do have all fourteen of Mr. Baum’s novels. At the Oz Museum, I found out there would be another twenty-one written after by Ruth Plumly Thompson, and 40 in total, however I didn’t keep the collection going beyond the original author. Next to it, however, I do have a book by Roger S. Baum, the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum, who published several books using the same world.
I have fond memories of the movie with Judy Garland coming on television every year at Thanksgiving (or perhaps Christmas) and watching it each and every time. There was something magical about the way it went from black and white to color, and how the friends Dorothy met along the way helped her find her way home. I suppose it is why I write what I do, since fantasy, magic, witches, mythical creatures, and found family were so deeply ingrained in my formative years. To this day, Judy Garland is one of my all time favorite performers.
The movie Return To Oz got a bad rap as being terrifying, definitely not something for young children to watch although it was created by Walt Disney Productions, who had bought the rights to Baum’s books in 1954. While I would argue it was more faithful to the books than the 1939 musical, I do agree that it is probably not suitable for a younger audience. I mean, the witch has a collection of heads that she switches out on a whim… so do with that what you will.
It came to mind as I strolled through the Oz Museum that perhaps Disney didn’t have an original idea when he packaged up century-old fairy tales and created an experience to delight all ages. Perhaps he, like many others we have witnessed time and again, watched and learned from those before him who had the vision, creativity, and imagination, but just couldn’t seem to get things off the ground. I believe Mr. Baum was definitely ahead of his time and perhaps required a bit too much creative control. There is something strange about calling your book your “baby” then once it is complete expecting it to go out and earn a living for you… but such is an author’s life. Had he partnered with someone like Disney, we might be traveling and spending our vacations with our kids at “Oz World.”
Since 1900 when L. Frank Baum first published his story, we have seen dozens of adaptations across film, television, and stage. The Oz Museum was great about paying homage to each of those as well, which was cool to see. Baum’s works are now in public domain and can be remade in countless ways, as we have seen in its most recent re-imagining by way of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
When you think about all of the forms his story has taken in over 100 years, it is easy to see the original vision that taunted Mr. Baum his entire life. The opportunity he chased around every corner which slipped out of sight like the Wizard he brought to life, only to stay just far enough out of reach to make it maddening. But he kept at it… no matter the outcome. In creating a universally appealing story about hope, friendship, and love, he has finally won his fame. I, for one, am happy he has finally achieved what he set out to do.
Now to put the Oz books on my TBR and give them a re-read… the nostalgia is long overdue! I’m also going to catch up on some of the movies I haven’t watched, and for those who aren’t sure if you have caught them all, here is a list on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptations_of_The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz.
By the way, Return To Oz will definitely be one of them, lol. It’s bad, but so good! If I remember correctly, it is the perfect blend of books 2 & 3 in the series. If you have read any of the books or seen the movies, which is your favorite? Have you been to the Oz Museum? Let me know in the comments! In the meantime, here are a few resources on the topic and some information about what I write.
Happy reading! XO
Resources
Oz Museum Website: https://ozmuseum.com
American Literature: https://americanliterature.com/author/l-frank-baum
Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/frank-baum-the-man-behind-the-curtain-32476330
Oz Club: https://ozclub.org/oz/l-frank-baum
Wife of the Wizard of Oz: https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/wife-of-the-wizard-of-oz
You can find out more about what I write here:
For my Goddesses in Love series, the best link is:
For my Mythical Creatures posts, head over to:
As always, I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Until next time! XO
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