Branson Missouri Museums

Museums

Branson may be popular for its attractions, theme parks, celebrities, shows, but for the history buff, Branson is famous for its museums. Venturing off throughout Branson you will find quite a few unique museums such as the Veterans Memorial Museum, Harold Bell Wright Museum, Titanic: The Legend Continues, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, The Hollywood Wax Museum, The World's Largest Toy Museum, The American Presidential Museum, Bonniebrook - The Home of Rose O'Neill, College of the Ozark’s Museums, College of the Ozark’s Ralph Foster Museum, and College of the Ozark’s Edwards Mill, just to name the most popular.

The World’s Largest Toy Museum is a great place for the young at heart or any collector. The entire museum is filled with toys that date back to the 1800’s where you are sure to find that one toy that you only dreamed you had. The Toy Museum is a favorite of young and old with thousands of toys on display including trains, toy soldiers, dolls, beautiful porcelain dolls, peddle cars, cap guns, wind-up toys, puppets and more. Children will really enjoy seeing the way that toys have changed prior to the computer age and what type of toys their parents and even grandparents enjoyed.

The American Presidential Museum is an exclusive and inspiring museum that brings the American Presidency to life in a fashion that everyone will enjoy. Some of the most popular exhibits include Air Force One jet airplane used by President Richard Nixon, a life-sized replica of the Oval Office, and the Hall of the First Ladies with all their exquisite gowns. Choose your favorite president and have your photo taken. The museum is open every day beginning at 8am and is right behind Starlite Theatre on Hwy. 76.

The Harold Bell Wright Museum is the home to many of Mr. Wright’s original manuscripts, gun collection, woodworking tools, original paintings and more. During the early and mid twentieth century, he was one of the most popular authors during the early and mid twentieth century. This is the first author in history to become a millionaire from his books, for many years he wrote the number one selling book in the United States. Harold Bell Wright wrote many western movies with stars such as John Wayne.

Hollywood stars come to life at the Hollywood Wax Museum where you can enjoy seeing on your favorite stars where more than 170 stars are displayed in wax.

You can enjoy the 45-minute walk through tour that includes 2 floors of television and movie history with some of your favorite classics such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Happy Days, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Indiana Jones. Famous stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marilyn Monroe, Presidents of the US, actors from hit shows like Mash, Star Trek, Baywatch, and the movie Titanic plus a life size wax sculpture of Jesus Christ and his disciples at the Last Supper.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not, is one of the most popular museums for young and old where weird, bizarre, and unusual are commonplace. There are over 400 exhibits in themed galleries where you can see odd things like the giant ball of wire, a limo with a heart shaped Jacuzzi in the trunk, a vampire hunter's kit, a cross, a wooden stake and a gun, and a two-headed cow.

Not only is the museum home to the bizarre but the building itself has a unique history. It was designed as a remembrance of an earthquake that happened in New Madrid, Missouri in 1812. The earthquake measure 8.0 on the Richter Scale and it is said that it made the Mississippi River run backwards for three days and even made the church bells ring in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

To commemorate history's bravest men, women, and fallen heroes of the US the Veterans Memorial Museum has on display art and exhibits from all five wars that have been fought in the 20th century which are WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. Among its most famous displays, include 50 life-size bronze sculptures, hundreds of exhibits, and murals that honor all branches of the military. Actual pictures can be viewed of Pearl Harbor, a 70 foot long bronze sculpture of 50 life-sized men running up a beach under fire, the pistol Hitler gave to Eva Braun, and the names of every military man and woman who gave their all in service to keep America free.

Titanic: The Legend Continues is a must see museum in Branson. It contains more than 400 artifacts from the Titanic including deck chairs, jewelry, dinnerware, life jackets, menus, personal letters, and over 100 photographs taken by passengers. There are many hands on activities that your children will enjoy such as sending SOS telegrams and try steering the ship around the iceberg using computer imaging. You can find this magnificent museum at the corner of 165 and Hwy. 76.

This is just a glimpse of the special artifacts and exhibits you will see when you venture to visit some of the outstanding museums that Branson has to offer.