Dorothy’s ruby slippers were in poor shape when the Smithsonian acquired them in 1979. Because costume designers considered them a disposable film prop, they threw them into a storage room and forgotten about. The slippers remained in that same neglected condition for years as they sat on display in the American History Museum.
In 2016, all that changed. The Smithsonian decided to repair and conserve the slippers for generations to come. Here are seven fascinating facts about their conservation you might not have known.
Fact #1: The conservation was publicly funded.
The Smithsonian set up a public Kickstarter campaign to pay for the conversation. Backers could receive rewards ranging from posters and decals to their own replica pair of shoes, depending on how much they pledged.
Fact #2: The campaign raised $350,000.
The original goal was $300,000, but over 6,000 people pledged money to help, bringing in an additional $50,000.
Fact #3: It took 200 hours to store the shoes.
Object conservator Dawn Wallace spent about eighteen months and two hundred hours restoring the shoes. Thanks to her careful efforts, the shoes are now on display in near-perfect condition.
Fact #4: No new sequins were added to the shoes.
Dawn didn’t replace any missing sequins or beads to maintain the original history of the shoe. But she did strengthen any loose or weak threads to make sure no more sequins got lost.
Fact #5: Most of the conservation focused on cleaning.
Dawn used a tiny vacuum hose to clean the thousands of sequins on each shoe, allowing their original color to shine. She also rearranged the sequins wherever possible to restore the shoes’ sleek look.
Fact #6: Dawn made her own pair of slippers.
After spending so many hours working on the shoes, Dawn decided to make her own pair of ruby slippers for a Halloween costume. She probably knows more about these shoes than the original creators at this point.
Fact #7: The shoes don’t match.
The shoes are part of separate pairs of slippers with slightly different makes and sizes.
Thanks to Dawn’s efforts, the Ruby Slippers are on display today in almost as good condition as when Judy Garland herself wore them. You can see them on the 3rd Floor of the American History Museum, in the “Entertainment Nation” exhibit.
Want to learn more interesting facts about the Smithsonian and the artifacts on display? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
