Omaha, NE- (May 23, 2012) - Omaha Children's Museum, 500 S. 20th Street, will open its next special exhibit, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, on Saturday immediately following a children's parade on 20th street, which begins at 10 a.m.
The 10,000 square-foot Oz exhibit presented by Borsheims Jewelry and Gifts is made up of interactive exhibit areas that are based on parts of the book and the film. These areas create an adventure filled with fun, exploration and learning for guests of all ages.
The larger exhibit includes a 2500 square-foot Wonderful Wizard of Oz exhibit created by Great Explorations Children's Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla., along with many other exhibit components created by Omaha Children's Museum, Exploratorium in San Francisco and with community partners.
Primary exhibit areas include a glimmering Emerald City, State Fair Omaha Balloon Launch, Tornado Town, Munchkin Playland, Rainbow Stage, The Farmhouse, Witch's Castle and areas focused on Tinman, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow. Daily programming is held in the exhibit focusing on the themes from the movie including love, courage, teamwork, and home. Character appearances will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the run of the exhibit.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz will be open through September 9 during regular museum hours. Admission to the exhibit is $2 in addition to regular museum admission, which is $9 for adults and children 2 and over. Omaha Children's Museum members are admitted free.
Children's Parade
The museum's second Children's Parade invites Guests to march in the parade. Costumes, decorated bikes, wagons and strollers are welcome but not required. The parade route is on 20th Street starting at Farnam Street (across from The Rose Theater) and ending at the museum on St. Mary's Street. Registration is free at OCM.org.
Following the parade there will be plenty of festivities in the museum's parking lot including an optional trike/bike/float decorating contest. The winning prize package includes a weekend stay at the Inn at Okoboji and a $50 gift certificate from Farmhouse Cafe. Registration is $5 and is available at OCM.org.
Food will be available for purchase in the museum's parking lot and at its Rainbow Café on the second floor.
Immediately after the float contest, the museum will open The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Guests will enjoy music by the children's band, The String Beans starting at noon.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Exhibit Area Descriptions
Emerald City
Inside the Emerald City guests will enjoy the Treasure Trove where make-and-take projects include swords, shields and all sorts of other baubles to take home. Kids can use a variety of materials including custom Borsheims beads and additional materials provided by Oriental Trading Company for their projects.
Children and parents will learn about the science of gemology in the Emerald City with fun facts about gems. There will also be two Wentz-scopes on display magnifying rocks and minerals. The Wentz-scope, named for its inventor, Budd Wentz, enables several guests at a time to view minerals and rocks through a large eye piece. The microscope can enlarge the view of specimens as much as 1,000 times.
State Fair Omaha Balloon Launch
In the Wizard of Oz film, the Wizard leaves Oz in a balloon that says State Fair Omaha. Playing on this unique local connection, the museum has partnered with several local ballooning groups to bring hot air balloons to life in the exhibit. A real hot-air balloon is suspended from the ceiling of the gallery with a real basket for guests to get in and see how a hot-air balloon is made and operates.
Dreamtime Balloons and a number of other ballooning groups from the area have helped bring the Balloon Launch area together including Matthew Grote, Absolute Horizons Balloon Tours; Steven and Elane Lacroix, Scenic Wind Balloon Tours; Michael Jones, Emerald City Express; Tom Peterson, Dreamtime Balloon Adventures; Mike Shrum, Porter Trustin and Carlson; and Nebraska Balloon Club.
Tornado Town
The Tornado Town area of the exhibit presents guests with the science of tornadoes and weather prediction and provides whimsical opportunities to interact with twisters. The Tornado Experience, uses a massive green screen wall and green screen technology, chroma keying, so guests will see themselves on screen among familiar landmarks in a video created by v2 Content and can use props including bicycles.
A Tornado Machine comes to Omaha from The Exploratorium in San Francisco and uses a large mist generator, fans and a carefully-shaped structure to produce a large tornado. This touchable mist presents a delightful and ever-changing image. Guests can interact with the twister and step inside of the machine in this 8-foot-tall exhibit.
Media Partner KETV has created a video showing how the weather is predicted with the use of weather balloons. When guests visit the Wonderful Wizard of Oz exhibit, they can enter for their chance to win a special meet and greet with the KETV Weather Now Storm Team and tour of KETV. An entry box will be available in the Tornado Town area.
Guests can also experience the Tornado Twister, a machine that blows the same speed of wind as an F1 Tornado up to 80 miles per hour. Rides in the Tornado Twister are $2 each.
Tornado Town has additional support from Centris Federal Credit Union and the Omaha Storm Chasers.
Munchkin Playland
A large play structure provided by Backyard Playworld provides a physical outlet for kids where they can slide, climb and swing.
Rainbow Stage
In partnership with Omaha Public Library this area gives guests the opportunity to dress up in character costumes, sing along to music from the Wizard of Oz and create puppet shows with Oz puppets. Oz character visits will take place on the Rainbow Stage as will other performances and story times throughout the run of the exhibit.
Glinda's Bubble Magic
Guests will use the museum's signature bubble juice to create large bubbles with special wands. This area is sponsored by Carmax.
Farmhouse
This area, sponsored by Farmhouse Cafe, will feature the exhibit's daily programming along with pretend-play elements including a full kitchen, table and food to serve inside and outside of a house like Auntie Em and Uncle Henry's.
Yellow-Brick Road
This actual yellow-brick road made from 9 pallets of real yellow bricks, travels through the exhibit and is sponsored by Pavestone, Watkins Concrete Block, Hy-Vee and Snapple.
Witch's Castle
Inside this castle reminiscent of the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West's, guests can play with pretend flying monkeys, create their own magic potions and take a ride on a witch's broom. The castle is sponsored by Oriental Trading Company
Tinman
In this area, sponsored by Alegent Health Clinic, guests will learn about their hearts with beating, beeping and flashing machines. "Feel the Beat" and "What's Your Pulse" gives children a chance to feel for themselves how activity affects their heart rate. They can help pump blood through the heart and see what happens to the color of blood when it has oxygen.
Scarecrow
Guests will help put the scarecrow together and let him know that everybody is smart in his or her own way. They will pick corn in the cornfield and participate in activities that explore the brain and five senses. The Scarecrow area is supported by The Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital at Madonna.
Cowardly Lion
Venture into this forest sponsored by Mutual of Omaha and the Lion will help guests find their courage as they crawl through a dark cave with camouflage and friendly hidden animals.
Daily Programs
Wonderful Wizard Parade (Tues.-Sat., 4:30 pm): Guests can join the Wizard of Oz, grab a musical instrument and join in a lively march through the museum.
Oz's Wonderful World (Tues.-Sat., 10:45 am; Thurs., 6:45 pm; Sun., 2:45 pm): Guests will discover the Wonderful World of the Wizard of Oz through special projects and activities. Children will have the opportunity to create their own magical shoes, paint a scarecrow, launch a hot air balloon and much more.
Meet Me in Oz (Tues.-Sat., 1:45 pm): Guests will take a magical journey along the Yellow Brick Road to learn about the different characters from the Wizard of Oz and discover each one's fun and unique personality. Lions will roar, monkeys will fly, and a scarecrow or two will be stuffed. Children will explore the concepts of love, courage, teamwork, and home. Children who participate in this program will receive a $1 Gift Certificate to Farmhouse Cafe.
Character Appearances
Appearances will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the run of the exhibit at the following times.
Tuesdays 10:30-11 am, 2:30-3 pm
Thursdays 10:30-11 am, 2:30-3 pm, 6:30-7pm
Saturdays 10:30-11 am, 2:30-3 pm
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is supported by the following sponsors: Borsheims Jewelry and Gifts, Oriental Trading Company, Mutual of Omaha, Carmax, Hy-Vee, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Alegent Health Clinic, The Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital at Madonna, KETV, Farmhouse Café, Centris Federal Credit Union, Douglas County Board of Commissioners, V2 Content, Omaha Public Library, Backyard Playworld, Omaha Storm Chasers, Watkins, Pavestone, Bruning Sculpture, Acreage Fences, Absolute Horizons Balloon Tours, Scenic Wind Balloon Tours, Emerald City Express, Dreamtime Balloon Adventures, Porter Trustin and Carlson and Nebraska Balloon Club.
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About Omaha Children's Museum
Since its inception in 1976, Omaha Children's Museum has been a special place where children can challenge themselves, discover how the world works and learn through play. The mission of Omaha Children's Museum is to engage the imagination and create excitement about learning. The museum's permanent exhibits include Charlie Campbell Science & Technology Center, Creative Arts Center including the Karen Levin Artist-in-Residence Studio and Imagination Playground. In addition to its permanent exhibits, Omaha Children's Museum offers educational programs, traveling exhibitions, field trips, outreach programs, summer camps and early childhood programs. For more information visit www.ocm.org.
Museum Admission
Members: FREE
Under 2 years of age: FREE
Ages 2 - 59: $9
Ages 60+: $8
Wonderful Wizard of Oz Exhibit Admission
Members: FREE
Under 2 years of age: FREE
Non-Members: $2 in addition to regular musuem admission
Museum Summer Hours (Memorial Day-Labor Day)
Monday - CLOSED
Tuesday - 10am to 5pm (9-10 am member hour)
Wednesday - 10am to 5pm
Thursday - 10am to 8pm
Friday - 10am to 5pm
Saturday - 9am to 5pm
Sunday - 1pm to 5pm
