ABC is celebrating the 90th birthday of one of the most beloved and iconic Disney characters of all time. And you can find a piece of The Happiest Place on Earth in Tucson!
This tiny treasure has touched the hearts of countless people for more many years.
It is timeless; it's all a part of our childhood. I remember my first time to Disney Land many, many years ago," says Tucson Children's Museum Executive Director Michael Luria.
But you don't have to travel to California to spark the imagination so many of us crave. Smack-dab in the middle of downtown Tucson, you'll find the Children's Museum. And tucked away inside is an exhibit paying tribute to the mouse we love so much!
"It was donated to us by Chuck and Pat Pettis. He's a local-Tucsonan, been in the community for a long, long time," says Luria. "He has been collecting Mickey his entire adult life."
But about ten years ago, Mr. Pettis came up with an idea!
"He came to the Children's Museum and said 'I have this collection; I'd like to do something with it. I'd like it displayed in a way the community can enjoy it, and would the Children's Museum be interested?'," says Luria.
And no surprise...the answer was yes! So what can you find in this exhibit? Think watches, figurines, and of course, you can't forget those timeless Mickey Mouse rotary-phones.
"Everything Mickey is part of the collection, and it's absolutely unique and fabulous," says Luria.
So whether you have nine, or 90 candles on your birthday cake, you're never too old to fall in love with a character who has given multiple generations something to share and something to celebrate.
