Steve Sansweet did not aim to have the Guinness World Record collection of Star Wars memorabilia showcased in a unique museum setting. It was an evolution. Over the years The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience has come to mean much more than looking at Star Wars stuff. It means being welcomed, included and accepted. It means a safe, warm and joyful environment. It means a peaceful space filled with animals and rolling hills. It means picnic tables and sharing a meal. You’re our guest. Welcome to our home.Happy day everyone. There’s a lot going on, but find an hour or two to watch our Facebook Lives from last year celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. If you like these videos, get much more by signing up for our Virtual Museum–only $10/month!
Originally posted August 31, 2020
Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2020 was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience booth was to exhibit a selection of items celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. Conceptualized by our docents, Dan Norgan and Michelle Norgan, it would have taken you on a journey from concept to screen to collectible. Here is part 1 & part 2 of a Facebook Live showcasing many of the items that would have been on exhibit, plus others we would not have been able to bring. In addition, in part 1, take a tour through our bedroom exhibit that was installed at Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017. In part 2, take a rare view of one of our back storage isles.
Produced by Mark Rusciano
Support by Consetta Parker
Part 1:
Part 2:
A series of tours we started in 2019 was called a "Deep Dive". It delved into more detail on certain subjects and included dinner and drinks. One tour was focused on Posters.
Some of our favorite collectibles come from Japan. Many of the items are a unique mash-up of the Japanese culture and Star Wars imagery. The collection at Rancho Obi-Wan has items from Japan starting in 1978 to today.
Steve tells us the history of his R2-D2 dome. And fun bonus video of an unexpected surprise on a tour of the museum.
Being a docent at Rancho Obi-Wan has never felt like a job. Sure, I might get asked to lift some boxes, dust a little bit, maybe even vacuum from time to time. But I'm also allowed to navigate people through the biggest Star Wars collection in the galaxy. I get to watch people reclaim their youth by showing them a vintage Kenner figure or having them check out an old-school View Master. And I'm also allowed to talk about one of my passions...LEGO. So, when Anne asked me to take a group of LEGO Star Wars (LSW) fans on a Deep Dive tour of Steve's LEGO collection, I knew it was going to take some time prepare, but this wasn't work, this was a dream.
In the video below Steve talks about one of his newest favorite collectibles. They're from Japan, but they're not the Bearbricks shown above (although the bears are incredibly kawaii).
There are many one-of-a-kind screen used or production related props at Rancho Obi-Wan. Log in to the Virtual Museum to see Steve talk about some of the items on display such as a Duros head, Givin hands and head, a piece of 4-LOM, Pieces of Leia's costume from Return of the Jedi and a genuine piece of the Millennium Falcon.
We’ve always had kids as visitors to Rancho Obi-Wan, even long before we were organized as a non-profit Star Wars museum in 2011: neighborhood kids, kids who are related to friends and neighbors and school kids on authorized class outings with their teachers and a few parents as chaperones.