Wizard of Oz Museum leaving Brevard for another Central Florida county


The Wicked Witch of the West is getting on her broom and flying, well, west of course.

The Wizard of Oz Museum, which opened about two and a half years ago, in Cape Canaveral, will be relocating out of the county. Fred Trust, the museum’s owner, told FLORIDA TODAY he had been looking for a new location because he was told the building that houses the current museum will eventually be demolished.

“Unfortunately, I could not find the right property in Brevard, so I settled in Kissimmee,” Trust said. “You pay in Brevard for proximity to the ocean and there you are paying for proximity to Orlando. Orlando has nine times more tourists than Brevard, so it was not a hard choice to make.”

When will the Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral close?

An artist rendition of the Wizard of Oz Museum that will be located in Kissimmee. A smaller version is currently located in Cape Canaveral.

The Brevard location will still be open for at least 18 months, or as long as two more years. It’s located at 7099 N. Atlantic Ave.

Trust said the timeline is based on construction and building permits for the new location. The Cape Canaveral museum will remain open until construction is done on the Kissimmee museum.

Where will the new Wizard of Oz Museum located and what will it have?

The new museum will be located in Osceola County on roughly four-acres of land along U.S. Highway 192.

For comparison, the existing museum is a 4,500-square-foot facility in a strip mall.

“The main difference is it will be two times bigger and will allow more displays and areas for kids’ activities and movie-watching rooms,” Trust said.

He added the new location will even include a Wizard of Oz-themed miniature golf course.

What does the Wizard of Oz Museum have?

While the museum does have some original movie props, it is dedicated to the entire Wizard of Oz franchise beginning with the first book by Frank Baum.

Trust said he owns the first copy of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” on record. He said he bought the book, which was printed on May 23, 1900, at an auction about 15 years ago. Signed by Baum, Trust said the novel is worth $250,000 — but he considers the book “priceless.”

There are dozens of display cases filled with board games, figurines, masks, plates, autographed photos, costumes, plush dolls, posters, sheet music, even vintage collectible soaps shaped like the movie characters. Some artifacts date back to 1850.

There’s also a life-sized Wicked Witch of the West and a trio of flying monkeys. Guests can use their smart phone to scan a QR code for an audio tour.

Adjacent to the displays is a 2,000-square-foot room that features an immersive experience inspired by Vincent van Gogh. The roughly 30-minute show includes seven different scenes that transport guests into the world of “The Wizard of Oz.”

Trust said guests of all ages often come to the museum dressed as Wizard of Oz characters to capture memorable photos with the scenery and props.

If you go

The Wizard of Oz Museum

Where: 7099 N. Atlantic Ave., Cape Canaveral

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week

Tickets: $31.99 for adults, $15.99 for kids, $29.95 for seniors and military

Call: 888-949-6369

Website: wizardofozflorida.com

Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Wizard of Oz Museum moving out of Brevard, headed closer to Disney

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