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All things Oz in Kansas City

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The Wizard of Oz is Kansas' iconic story, oft-associated with the Sunflower State, this family classic is celebrated at local attractions! Published in 1900, L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz is considered America’s first fairy tale and it holds a special place in the hearts of Kansans and Kansas Citians alike. The story of Dorothy’s fantastical journey through the land of Oz has enticed generations. You can celebrate this masterpiece with some local fun! 

These are FIVE of our favorite ways to experience a bit of Oz in Kansas City:

Over the Rainbow: Toys from the Land of Oz: This exhibit will run Jan. 14- Aug. 20 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is one of our favorite whimsical attractions with toys bringing back memories for generations. The newest exhibit explores the original literary story of The Wizard of Oz and its many retellings, including the 1939 Technicolor film, Return to Oz, and The Wiz, through playthings, first edition books, and original costumes at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. HOURS: Open Daily 10am-4pm. Closed Tuesdays and major holidays. The museum will be closed this weekend, January 14-15, for inclement weather, and Monday, January 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. ADMISSION: Ages 5 and up $5, Ages 4 and under Free

Museum members Free, UMKC faculty, staff, and students with ID Free, Active duty service members with ID Free. Special Events with the exhibit: 

Enjoy the Classic film for $5: We all love the movie and no one can sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” like Judy Garland. This is your chance to enjoy it on the BIG SCREEN! On Jan. 19, 2017 at 4pm and 7pm local B& B Theaters are showing The Wizard of Oz. for just $5/ticket!

Experience an interactive Lego Model of Oz: LEGOLAND Discovery Center (2475 Grand Avenue, KC, MO) is one of our favorite local attractions. One of the highlights of your visit to Legoland is a stroll through LEGO Miniland depicting Kansas City's most iconic buildings created entirely from LEGO bricks. Best of all, the entire exhibit is interactive. Guests can control features including racing cars at the Kansas Speedway, playing music at a Starlight concert, operating a construction crane, and more! Cars drive, sirens blare, lights change (including KCP&L's lit tower), fountains work, boats float, and the entire city changes from day to night every 2-3 minutes. And, they even included a MINILAND Oz, complete with Munchkinland, the Emerald City, and the Witch's Castle! This was our favorite part of the entire LEGOLAND Discovery Center experience! Legoland is full of fun as you walk through a simulated LEGO Brick Factory with interactive displays allowing children to mix, heat, and mold LEGO Bricks. Each child receives a souvenir brick to take home! Visitors also enjoy two amusement park rides: Kindom Quest: This is an interactive ride and contest. Use laser guns to shoot at trolls, spiders, bats, and skeletons on a quest to rescue the Princess. Compete with your friends to earn the highest score. And Merlins Magic Potion: This is a spinning ride enjoyed especially by young children.Kids also enjoy playing with Lego blocks. Children can create their own racecar and test it on tracks with LEGO Racers. Or, they build their own dynamic structures and test them against an earthquake simulator for stability. Girls especially enjoying creating their own LEGO Friends.  The LEGO Master Builder Academy offers workshops where children learn the tricks of the LEGO-Building trade straight from Master Builder, Jeremiah Boehr. The workshops are included with admission. Each child is provided with a station, complete with the bricks needed for a project, and Jeremiah demonstrates the buiding techniques from the front of the class with his models projected on a large screen so students may see exactly how to create their own LEGO masterpieces! Be sure to take advantage of a Master Class on your visit! And, the LEGO 4D Cinema is another fantastic attraction showing LEGO short films (10-15 min. in length) in 3-D with a 4-D experience generated by wind, mist, bubbles, and simulated experiences kids love!

Watch the stage production: CYT presents The Wizard of Oz Mar. 9-12 at Avila's Goppert Theatre (11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO). A live, Broadway-style musical, performed entirely by students age 8 to 18, CYT Kansas City presents The Wizard of Oz! One of the most captivating musical shows of our time with muscial theatre classics such as "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," "If I Only Had A Brain" and "We’re Off To See The Wizard." This musical proves there really is no place like home. School-day shows at 10 am on Thursday and Friday, March 9 & 10. Family Night Show, 7 pm Thurs. March 9, where all tickets are just $9! Other public shows: Fri at 7 pm; Sat at 2 pm and 7 pm; Sun at 2 pm.

See characters from the show - as puppets: The Puppetry Arts Institute (11025 E. Winner Rd. Independence, MO. 816.833.9777) is one of Kansas City's Best Kept Secrets. Located in the Englewood Shopping District in old Independence, this charming museum dedicated to the memory of Hazelle Rollins founder of Kansas City’s original puppet factory, is also home to a puppet theater, and puppet making workshop. The museum houses exhibits showcasing puppets from every continent except Antarctica (apparently penguins are not adept puppet masters). Among the collections, you'll find favorite characters from books and film. Characters from The Wizard of Oz  are among the favorite puppets at the museum. On select Saturdays, watch live puppet shows. After the show, you may make your own hand puppet (limited space so reservations recommended). 

Bonus: Take a Road Trip to Wamego to visit the Oz Museum: In Wamego, Kansas (about 2 hours from KC), you’ll find the Oz Museum (511 Lincoln). The museum features the largest collection of Oz memorabilia in the world! Admission charged. Call 1.866.458.TOTO. For information: www.wamego.org/oz_museum.htm

Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission. If you have an addition to this list, please email kristina@kcparent.com

 

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