Walking down the main strip in Sisters, an extremely rare car sits noticeably parked in front of a little spot known as the Fantastic Museum. A Doval Shadow, rumor has it that only 20 of the vehicles were ever made. But as rare as that car may be, it’s nothing compared to the man who owns it.
Jim Schmit might be one the most interesting characters you’ll ever meet, and usually, he can be found sitting outside of the museum with his spunky dog, Gidget. Super friendly with a ton of charisma and charm, he strikes up conversation with anyone willing to stop. Within seconds he’ll have you laughing and is quick to share stories that sound almost too crazy to be true.
The original Fantastic Museum opened during the 1960s in Seattle. In 1984, after the death of the original owner, Doc Jones, the collection was donated to the Seattle’s Children Hospital. Not much a hospital can do with such a bizarre hodgepodge of items, and that’s when Schmit, already known as a major collector of oddities, stepped in to purchase the entire collection.
On my first visit, Schmit led me through the maze of small rooms, eager to tell a story for each piece of memorabilia. Cardboard cutouts of Taylor Swift and Elvis share space with framed photos of Bette Davis and even a pic of Donald Trump long before his presidency. There’s a rocking chair once used by JFK, autographed sports jerseys, Shaquille O’Neal’s actual shoes, and tons more in the small space. In several photos, Schmit has a big grin alongside the famous faces he’s met and interacted with over the years. Probably the most interesting piece in the collection is the mummified corpse of Olaf the Giant, a nine-foot-tall Viking king from Norway, reportedly over 600 years old!
After nearly every story, Schmit adds, “It’s in the book,” referring to A Most Improbable Millionaire, his official biography written by Laynie D. Weaver and published in 2021. I notice a nearly full box near the entrance and several copies strewn throughout the exhibits. All proceeds go to the local 4-H, which tells you a lot about Jim’s heart.
The book records his incredible journey from a childhood of poverty to working as a humble hotel bellhop in Hawaii where he once met the Beatles. He’s since rubbed shoulders with more celebrities than most people can name. Along the way, he built a real estate empire in Lake Tahoe and later invested in all sorts of ventures that funded his collecting obsession.
A huge basketball fan, Schmit became friends with NBA legend Rick Barry and even helped bring some of the first Chinese basketball players to the United States, like Yao Ming. He also co-owned a basketball camp in Oregon. During those early years he accumulated an impressive collection of memorabilia from his adventures, pieces of pop culture, and even antique outhouses!
Schmit’s iteration of the Fantastic Museum first opened in Lakeview, Oregon, but the tiny town didn’t have enough visitors. Then he tried his luck in Redmond, but city officials didn’t appreciate his eccentricity and scoffed when he tried to put up a Ferris wheel on the property at one point.
Some would say Schmit is too trusting. Around 2009, during the real estate crash, he lost much of his fortune. He’ll tell you that his museum today holds only a small fraction of what he once owned. As for where the rest went?
“That’s a long story,” he says with a wink. “It’s in the book!”
In the back room I hop in Bob Hope’s stretch limousine (yes, the Bob Hope) to read a placard about the history of the car. I’m in the same seat where three different presidents have ridden!
The museum may be small, but it’s the kind of spot where you can lose track of time reading stories and discovering oddities around every corner. Every visit something new can be discovered.
The Fantastic Museum is free of charge, but again, and I can’t stress this enough, you can “Read the book.” I did and truthfully enjoyed it.
Though he went through some tough times, Schmit never lost his happiness and good spirits. Now in his mid-80s, he says he still rides his bike 20-30 miles a day.
“Goal setting is the key to success,” he tells me. As we part ways, he suddenly sprints off down the sidewalk, through some buildings, and quickly disappears from my sight, Gidget chasing closely behind him.
Intrigued, I walk away with my signed copy of The Improbable Millionaire, ready to learn more about this fascinating character. Visiting the Fantastic Museum is definitely worth a trip to Sisters. Full of unique memorabilia and stories, I suggest you get there soon, not because of Schmit’s age, but because he says he might be closing shop before too long and moving to a Blue Zone. He plans to live past 100!
The Fantastic Museum is open 11am-3pm daily. However, Jim tends to make his own hours.
The Fantastic Museum
Daily 11am-3pm
121 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters
Free/Donations
This article appears in the Source November 6, 2025.
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