The new Oz Club exhibit at the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas, offers a sampling of merchandise from the 50th anniversary of the 1939 MGM film.
1989 was a big year for the Oz collectibles market. Not only were many new collectible formats introduced, but manufacturers made variants for each character. Groundbreaking new books about the film were published. And organizers put extra effort into annual Oz events.
Although the display case can only hold the tip of the Ozzy iceberg that was 1989, museum visitors will get a glimpse at the variety of products and activities created both for fans and the general public.
It was great fun to have the display up during Oztoberfest, the museum’s annual Oz event. I always enjoy the opportunity to talk about Oz with others, and there’s no better time than festival weekend when thousands of people flock to Wamego, and hundreds of fans pack the museum.
Future plans will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the film with merchandise from the film’s initial release.