Central Florida’s Wizard of Oz Museum has ruby slippers, real Dorothy dress

A Central Florida attraction takes cinema fans for a stroll down the yellow brick road and a walk through the history of a beloved fantasy tale known worldwide.

The Wizard of Oz Museum on Cape Canaveral contains hundreds of movie memorabilia items, rare first-edition books from the original novel series and an immersive experience with animated scenes projected onto the walls and floor. The attraction also features authentic props from the movie, including a “Winkie Guard” spear, a Dorothy dress worn by Judy Garland, an Emerald City townsman jacket and a pair of ruby red slippers previously displayed in the queue for Disney’s Great Movie Ride.

While millions of people have watched the iconic 1939 film, many might not be familiar with the original series of books written by L. Frank Baum starting in 1900. These are what first got the museum’s owner, Fred Trust, interested in the fantasy world of Oz at a young age.

“I’m originally from the former Soviet Union. When I was a child in elementary school, the teacher read us a book, about 260 pages, throughout the whole year,” Trust said, recalling his memories of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which he later read to his children. “I was a collector from the early 1990s, maybe even before that … Later on, I decided to open a museum because I got enough pieces that were unique from the perspective of the Wizard of Oz.”

Trust’s expertise started as he helped collectors track down and price out rare and first-edition Oz books with a collector’s guide, of which he sold thousands of copies. While Baum penned the first 14 novels, Ruth Plumly Thompson and other authors picked up his work after he passed away, ultimately completing a series of 40 books. After accumulating enough memorabilia, Trust found a public home to display his collection, inspiring the museum that opened in early 2022.

Inside the museum, visitors first step foot into a gift shop and welcome area before entering the exhibit space. Behind glass cabinets, guests can explore the history of Baum’s writing career before transitioning into displays full of Oz memorabilia, an original movie script, toys, Halloween masks, toys, plates, figurines, puppets and more.

With a self-guided audio tour, it’s easy to spend 30-45 minutes in the main museum space before entering the immersive experience, which is in a separate room with more than 30 projectors casting scenes onto the walls and floor. In this space, visitors can see original animated scenes inspired by the “Wizard of Oz” books and an immersive Van Gogh exhibit with a runtime of around half an hour.

While young guests can enjoy a scavenger hunt with their families, the attraction also offers a separate children’s area with games, pop-up books, the “Wizard of Oz” movie on the projector and other activities.

While Cape Canaveral has proven to be a suitable launching pad for this attraction, Trust hopes to move to Orlando someday to expand its offerings. Until then, visitors of all ages can find delight in exploring the pages of history and the yellow brick road on the Space Coast.

“I wanted to create something unusual,” Trust said. “This is an art museum, a children’s museum and a specialty museum all put together. This can accommodate anybody in some fashion.”

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If you go

The Wizard of Oz Museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 7099 N. Atlantic Ave. in Cape Canaveral. Tickets are $29.99 for adults and $14.99 for children. For more information, call 888-949-6369 or visit wizardofozflorida.com.