FINDLAY, Ohio — The Mazza Museum at the University of Findlay has been a growing part of the community for decades and has played a vital role in showcasing the art of children's books.
Now, its story will soon be told in an upcoming documentary, "The Magic of Mazza."
40 years ago, it was one of the first museums dedicated to the art of children's books. As the collection of art pieces grew, so did the connections with the various artists and illustrators.
"It really is the people that are part of this Mazza Museum that help us, the volunteers that help us on a day-to-day basis, and the illustrators that help to make all that you see here a very special and wonderful resource here for everyone," Mazza Museum Director Benjamin Sapp said.
The documentary is produced by WBGU-PBS and will tell the story of the museum and the artists whose work is on display here.
"In the documentary, you will see the role it played in the lives of illustrators and authors who are now iconic," Mazza Museum curator Dan Chudzinski said. "They're reflecting back on the last 40 years of their career and showing how Mazza was instrumental."
Production for the documentary began in 2019 but was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sapp said although the museum has fame in the children's literary world, it's still a bit of a hidden gem in northwest Ohio.
He hopes the documentary can help connect even more people with the work the Mazza has been doing for decades.
"The more we can share about this work and these works of art and the importance they have in children's literature and the stories they share; the better, I think, the museum will be recognized as a real resource and something to value and to appreciate for many years to come," Sapp said.
The "Magic of Mazza" will air Thursday, at 9:30 p.m. on WBGU. For those who miss it on air, it can also be streamed on the WBGU website.