Kickstarter launched to save ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz
Have a heart, give some money
You know, it never struck us until now, but isn't it weird that the first thing Dorothy does in Oz is kill someone and steal her shoes?
Anyway, the iconic ruby slippers are now almost 80 years old, and they're starting to show it. According to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, "the color has faded and the slippers appear dull and washed-out...the coating on the sequins that give the shoes their hallmark ruby color is flaking off its gelatin base [and] some threads that hold sequins in place have broken." And that's just the visible damage.
To help restore them to their sparkling glory, the Smithsonian have launched a Kickstarter, aiming to raise $300,000 for necessary repair work.
It's a worthwhile cause – and the Smithsonian recently proved their restoration mettle on the Starship Enterprise – but in case that's not enough, there are rewards for donating. Our favourite comes at $7,000, which gets you a replica of the slippers that will almost certainly be too small for your feet.
Unfortunately, there's no amount of money you can pay to wear the originals. I guess you'll just have to get them the old fashioned way...
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