(Above) Replica of the ruby slippers acquired by Dorothy in the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz, now part of The Richard H. Driehaus Collection. Photos by Alex Brescanu. Click on images to view larger versions.
November 8, 2025 – A prototype of the iconic Flying Monkey costume, the costume of a character from Emerald City, and a telegram announcing the change from silver to red slippers are among memorabilia from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz that will be on display at Driehaus Museum until next March.
Opening on November 13, The Land of Oz: Beyond the Page, says the museum, “explores the imaginative artistry required to turn the classic children’s story into a beloved movie.”
L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz while living in Chicago. It was published in 1900, made into a musical stage production in 1902 and a film in 1939.
Spread over two galleries on the museum’s third floor, the installation is divided into three sections – writing, costume, and production design. The items are from the private collection of Richard H. Driehaus.
“As a champion of late 19th and early 20th century architecture, it’s easy to imagine why this piqued Richard’s imagination,” said Cynthia Van Osdol, President/CEO of Driehaus Trust Company.
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“By sharing these treasures – some for the first time – we hope the public will be equally inspired,” she said. (Left) Detail of ruby red slippers rented from Western Costume Company. |
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Van Osdol says Driehaus “found great escape in the purpose and teamwork” of The Wizard of Oz characters. She says that as Driehaus, who died in 2021, expanded his art collection, he acquired texts, costumes, and production design originals from the 1939 film. (Right) Costume of an Emerald City citizen. |
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The exhibit also includes an original edition of the book, an early draft of the film script, a pastel of Emerald City, and replicas of Dorothy’s ruby slippers and the Cowardly Lion’s Medal of Courage. (Left) Replica of the Courage Medal awarded to the Cowardly Lion. |
Driehaus Foundation announces new president
The Chicago-based Richard H. Driehaus Foundation has a new president and executive director.
Lynn Osmond, who was president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center for 25 years, has taken over the philanthropic organization for Anne Lazar, effective September 29. Lazar will serve as co-president until she retires in December.
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“For me, this role is the natural culmination of a career devoted to the arts, architecture, and civic life – all in service of building a stronger, more inclusive Chicago,” said Osmond (right). |
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“I am honored to build on [the foundation’s] extraordinary growth and to continue investing in what makes Chicago thrive: great architecture and design, vibrant cultural life, and a commitment to accountability in public life,” she said.
Founded in 1983 by investor and philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus, the foundation’s assets now exceed $380 million. The Driehaus Foundation awarded more than $17 million in grants last year, including $10 million to renovate the south portico of Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.
