OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — If you’re familiar with the classic Christmas movie White Christmas, you can now see the movie come to life at the White Christmas exhibit at the Oshkosh public museum.
The exhibit features real artifacts from the 1950s film. Everything in the exhibit, from the characters costumes to the props from the set, are all originals used in the movie with the exception of the red dresses worn by characters Betty and Judy in the film’s final scene.
“White Christmas kind of puts you right inside the classic film from 1954 that people know and love,” said museum curator Emily Rock.
It’s the first time the traveling exhibit has been featured in the Midwest. The exhibit is owned by by the Rosemary Clooney House in Augusta, Kentucky.
Just as the characters help out WWII veteran General Waverly in the film, the museum is helping out veterans in real life. As part of its initiative Operation Waverly, the museum is collecting items for veterans who visit Day by Day Warming Shelter in Oshkosh.
Donations can be dropped off at the Oshkosh Public Museum or the Oshkosh Public Library. Items will be distributed to the shelter weekly. Donations can include hats, gloves, socks, sleeping bags, and personal hygiene products. You can see a complete wishlist of needed items here. In addition, Operation Waverly will offer several programsrelated to veterans that will be held at the museum.
For many of the museum’s visitors, seeing the movie come to life at the exhibit is a nostalgic experience, bringing back memories of watching the classic film.
“It brings you back I think to watching movies with your grandparents at home on Christmas Eve when you hear Rosemary Clooney singing some of the songs. So it really is a feel good exhibit,” said museum director Sarah Phillips.
“We’ve had a lot of great feedback saying how they just love the exhibit, they love the different costumes on display, it just really takes them back,” Rock said.
The White Christmas exhibition’s run time has been extended and will now run until February 13th. For more information, visit oshkoshmuseum.org.
