THE WIZARD OF OZ MUSEUM

1. THE WIZARD OF OZ MUSEUM DONATIONS BY NATASHA ANNE BIGGS On September 23rd 1913, thirteen years after Dorothy’s adventure, Natasha visited the land of Oz when she too was caught in a hurling hurricane. Having read the book, she knew how to get home without having to visit the so-called preposterous, but loveable “Wizard.” With this knowledge, she decided to ask the Munchkins, the Witches, and others in the land if she could take artifacts home and create the first Wizard of Oz Museum. Upon approval, she proceeded to take artifacts that she felt held the most significance to the land of Oz. What you will see now is the story of the Wizard of Oz, as graciously brought back by Natasha, to share with the world.

2. THE TORNADO • This is a genuine picture, taken by Uncle Henry, of the tornado that swept Dorothy, Toto, and their farm house off of their Kansas farm and into the heart of Oz. “The cyclone had set the house down, very gently-for a cyclone-in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty (p 20).” • Shortly after the tornado hit, farmers were seen flying through the air singing “Somewhere Over the Tornado,” then were whisked away and never seen again.

3. THE AXE • This is the axe the Wicked Witch of the East maliciously chopped the Woodman’s (Tin Man’s) heart out with, along with his limbs. One day, when the Woodsman was chopping wood, the evil Witch placed a cruel and unusual spell on his axe, making his axe slip, chopping right through his body. As the Tin Man states, “The tinner came to my help and made me a body of tin, fastening my tin arms and legs and head to it, by means of joints, so that I could move around as well as ever. But, alas! I had no heart (p 60).” This is the entire reason the Woodsman became the Tin Man and decided to go to Oz, in search of a heart. • Next to the axe is one of his original arms that was bandaged with the attempt to reattach to the Woodsman’s body. The effort was to no avail, so the tinner decided to rebuild the man with Tin, a procedure that is still used in the land of Oz, out of honor for the Tin Man. Now, everyone who inconveniently loses a limb due to the Witch’s powerful spells, immediately calls the tinner.

4. Original painting of the Magic Pond in Oz. • This is the magical pond near the castle where all the winged monkeys used to reside, along with the Wicked Witch of the West. The Magical pond allowed the monkeys to maintain their magical power of flying. It is not widely known, except by locals in Oz, that these Monkeys also have the power of fore-sight. • The magical hat is an ancient tool Witches use in capturing rituals whenever more slaves are needed. She used this very cap the day she sent the winged monkeys to capture our friends. In fact, this is exactly how the winged monkeys were enslaved. As the monkeys boldly said, “We are three times the slaves of the owner of the Golden Cap, whomsoever he may be (p 174).”

5. A Piece of the Yellow Brick Road • Notice that the road is a grayish tent. This is because it has been moved from the land of Oz; therefore, losing it’s magical golden sparkle. Sometimes, under certain shades of moonlight, you can see some golden specks in the crevices of the bricks. • No one knows why, but once people and objects are moved into Kansas, they almost instantly turn grey, as was the case with Aunty Em. “When Aunty Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober grey; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were grey also (p 12).”

6. BUCKET OF WATER • This is the pail that Dorothy used to pour water over the Wicked Witch of the West, killing her instantly. As the witch stated herself directly before melting into the land of Oz, “Didn’t you know water would be the end of me? (p 154).” • Water to a Witch is like Kryptonite to Superman.

7. The Curtain • This is a piece of the curtain that the Wizard of Oz was found behind. Many people still think that the Emerald City is only green because of the emerald colored glasses that most wear. “If you do not wear spectacles the brightness and glory of the Emerald City would blind you. Even those who live in the City must wear spectacles night and day (p 117).” However, there are many artifacts, such as this curtain, that do have a natural emerald glow and it is advised not to stare at the glow for too long without spectacles. • Even Kansas could not dim the magic of the emerald light.

8. TOTO’S BOWL • The Scarecrow, not having a brain nor a mouth, had no reason to sleep or to eat; Therefore, he would often gather berries for Toto and the others while they were sleeping. “ I am never hungry, and it is a lucky thing I am not. For my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out (p 44).” • As you can see from Toto’s dog bowl below, some of the berries look similar to dog food, but most berries in Oz are red and incredibly sweet.

9. THE LION’S ROAR • This was a photograph taken by Dorothy’s secret camera hidden in the basket she always carried around with her. She took a picture of the Cowardly Lion when they first met. He jumped out trying to be courageous and scared everyone half to death, before he voluntarily admitted he was really a coward. “If the elephants and tigers and bears had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself-I’m such a coward (p 68).”

10. SILVER SHOES *The silver shoes that Dorothy clicked three times and chanted “There is no place like home” have never been found. However, there are still search parties looking for them in this desert, where they are believed to have been lost and buried over the last 100 years. “Dorothy had stood up and found she was in her stocking-feet. For the silver shoes had fallen off in her flight through the air, and were lost forever in the desert (p 259).”