My wife and I are workamping in Wichita, Kansas for the winter season. Both of us enjoyed the Wizard of Oz when we were children, so when we heard about the Oz Museum and Oz Winery in Wamego, Kansas, we had to check it out.
The Town
Wamego is a small town of 4,000 people. The Road to Oz Highway, also known as Highway 99, runs right through the center of downtown The Oz Museum and Oz Winery are one of many establishments along this small stretch. The downtown area seems to have embraced the Oz namesake. This is evident in the surrounding businesses, many of which have incorporated something from the film or books in their logo or decor. Toto’s Tacos is a prime example. We visited on a Sunday and they were closed so we did not get a chance to sample their food. Their queso-covered burrito, named The Yellow Brick Burrito, sounded good though.
The Museum
The Oz Museum is a delightful trip down memory lane, a dedication to a true American fairytale. Few people do not know the story of Dorothy Gale from Kansas who ended up in the magical land of Oz. When L. Frank Baum wrote of the fantastical land, he surely couldn’t have known that his vision would inspire the imaginations and effect the memories of several generations.
The original film adaptation that captured our hearts and transported us to OZ was also a technical movie marvel. Technicolor was new at the time and audiences gasped as Judy Garland stepped out of a black and white house and into the saturated, colorful world of Oz. The OZ Museum takes us through that moment along with the backstage stories using photos, props, interviews and more. When you enter the museum, you are treated with a gift shop with all manner of the usual souvenirs. Ruby slippers, shot glasses, wall plaques, magnets, and an array of books are among the many trinkets and memorabilia you will find.
Tickets to the museum can be purchased from a facade meant to resemble Dorothy’s house. The cost of admission is $9 for ages 13 and up and $7 for those under thirteen. After getting your tickets and a short introduction, you are welcomed into the museum.
The museum is littered with artifacts from the movie and reproductions of props. Rare copies of L. Frank Baum’s works on the land of OZ adorn one wall. Replicas, including original costumes, are behind glass throughout the museum. Scattered between all of the artifacts are stories about making the iconic film. Some of those stories are uplifting while others (like the fact that many of the munchkins were paid less than Toto) are quite sour.
As one winds their way through the display cases and factoids, the scenery changes to fit the order of the scenes in the movie. After Munchkin Land, visitors are greeted with a figure of the Scarecrow, followed by the Tin Man and then the Cowardly Lion. The Haunted Forest leads to the witch’s lair. Each section is decorated accordingly and keeps the neverending parade of movie costumes and props interesting. The Emerald City completes the journey with a hot air balloon basket guests can stand in for a photo op.
It took us a little over an hour to view the over 2,000 artifacts. A documentary played on TVs throughout the museum and a miniature theatre showcased the original movie starring Judy Garland. Besides artifacts from the technicolor film, additional exhibits were dedicated to subsequent spinoffs.
Our self-guided tour brought back many wonderful memories. It also brought a new respect for the people who worked incredibly hard, and at times were mistreated, in order to create the childhood memory that is still shared, loved and treasured today. If you are ever in the area and feel the little strings of nostalgia being plucked in your heart when someone says the name Dorothy Gale from Kansas, this is definitely a place you should visit.
A side note: Don’t miss a skip own the yellow brick road. Directly across the street from the museum is the famous path and it leads to a restaurant.
The Oz Winery
The winery is just about a block down the street from the Oz Museum. The building is small but cozy. The pressed tin ceiling adds a layer of elegance to the space instead of antiquity. Bright colors and a touch of green help tie the Oz theme together. A bar is set up in the back corner for tastings.
The winery is owned and operated by Brooke Balderson and Noah Wright, a husband and wife team. They have been in business since 2007 and all of the wine is made on-site, bottled and labeled as well. We were informed that there are two artists who create the Oz-themed, whimsical labels. At this time, tours of the winery are not offered, but our host did manage to give us a little backstage peek once the place was vacant.
The winery purchases their grapes, but like the growers, they are at the mercy of what grapes are in season so their selection of wine will rotate throughout the year. Multiple visits will give the wine lover in you a chance to try something different each season.
We visited the weekend before Valentine’s Day. As to be expected, there were plenty of people coming through the door. A small group sat at a corner table enjoying some chocolates and wine flights. More customers came in for free samples and browed the gift shop afterwards.
Indierv.com actually contacted the location beforehand. Management comped our flights and chocolates. We were each able to sample the five wine flight and two chocolates! What a treat!
Our host, Kelly, handed us wine menus and we gleefully selected fun labels from the list . Oz Winery has an array of wines to satisfy any palate. White wines include dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sweet. Red wines include dry and semi-sweet. Dessert, blush and sparkling wines are also offered.
Wine tasting is available daily. Customers can enjoy two samples on the house. Flights are offered at a cost; three wines for $8 and five wines for $12. Customers can reserve special group or private tastings to include cheese, crackers, chocolates and hor d’oeuvres. Reserved tastings begin at $20. The winery prefers those interested to make arrangements at least 2 weeks in advance.
Sweet wines like Fraidy Cat and Squished Witch are the top customer picks. We, of course, had our favorites. Natalie loved Ruby Sippers, a dry red wine with a little zing finish. My favorite was a dessert wine called Surrender. The combination of caramel, toffee, and butterscotch is reminiscent of one of my favorite meals as a kid, waffles drenched with Mrs. Butterworth’s. Fortunately, if you fall in love with something and you run out, as wine has a tendency to do, you can order more from www.ozwinerykansas.com.
After feeling a little tipsy from a five wine flight, we enjoyed browsing around the store to see what trinkets and t-shirts the store had to offer. We ended up with a wine glass and a few bottles of wine. If you love wine and chocolate, visiting the Oz Winery should be on your Kansas bucket list.
Since Toto’s Tacos wasn’t open, we were directed to a place across the street from the winery called Barleycorn’s Downtown Deli. Their sandwiches hit the spot, and if you are ever in town, they have some of the best potato salad I have ever tried.
There’s No Place Like Home
By the time we finished eating, it was getting late. With our bellies full and our adventure over, we headed home as the sun set. I thought back on a quote by L. Frank Baum that was placed on the door that exits the museum. “When I was young I longed to write a great novel that should win me fame. Now that I am getting old my first book is written to amuse children. For aside from my evident inability to do anything “great,” I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp which, when caught, is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.”
The quote amazed me. He did not regard his work as great. He died in 1919 before the movie that would etch the land of Oz in our hearts was ever created. Here I was, two generations removed from that book and one generation removed from the first film. I saw children in that museum who knew his story better than I did. I felt a tinge of regret that no one could now tell him how “great” his work had become.
I realized on the long drive back to the RV that what he didn’t know was fame and greatness are sometimes not like the will-o-the-wisp he describes. Sometimes achievements are more like a large tree; it may take some time to grow. The great ones keep growing even after we’re gone. Fortunately, we can take a day trip to a museum and have a glass of wine under the one Baum planted on May 17, 1900.
This article was originally published on IndieRV as part of a sponsored press trip through their Influencer program. If you would like to check out IndieRV, a new travel site for people who love to travel, be sure to use our affiliate link to sign up here.
Keep posting your stories and adventures, as we enjoy reading all about them. Stay safe and Happy travels to the Happy Henley’s.
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We apologize, there shouldn’t be a password on it. The article was published incorrectly which caused the weird password thing to pop up. We are looking into it now. Again we apologize for any inconvenience.