Museums
The museums in Branson are full of objects that educate, delight, and entertain.
Get your boarding pass and experience one of the most historically accurate accounts of the catastrophic, maiden voyage of the Titanic.
If you have a love for the silver screen, grab your camera and head to the Hollywood wax Museum.
Take time to honor the men and women who have defended our great Nation, visit the Veteran’s Memorial Museum.
Branson also has the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, Bonniebrook Museum, Ralph Foster Museum at College of the Ozarks , Dinosaur Museum, Haunted House and Monster Museum, and the Branson Auto Museum.
Make sure to plan a day at the museums!
Posted in
Museums on February 20th, 2013
Titanic’s New Gallery
Titanic will be introducing a special new Gallery in 2013 with the Children of the Titanic. The RMS Titanic sailed with 2,208 people on board – 133 of them were children. Titanic Museum will bring Titanic’s littlest heroes out of the shadows and into to hearts of guests when they find new stories dedicated to the Children of Titanic. At the Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Missouri you will see what they saw, heard, and felt from the moment they boarded the ship. This year-long, exclusive exhibit is a celebration of those children whose bravery, innocence and faith can be an inspiration to us all.
Posted in
Museums on March 8th, 2012
Take a journey through one of the finest collections of American Art from the
Colonial era to present at the Crystal Bridges Museum in historic Bentonville, Arkansas.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning in December when we arrived at Crystal Bridges, we were about an hour early for our scheduled museum tour so we decided to take a walk on one of the lovely nature trails surrounding the Museum.
There are 6 trails surrounding Crystal Bridges:
Rock Ledge Trail
- Length: 1/2 mile
- Surface: crushed granite hiking trail
- Difficulty: moderate slope with steps
The Rock Ledge Trail received it’s name from the rock bluffs once carved into the hills to create a path for a nineteenth century railroad that was never completed. It is exclusively a foot trail that overlooks several sculptures and features large colonies of serviceberry and wild hydrangeas.
Dogwood Trail
- Length: 1 mile
- Surface: soft surface hiking trail
- Difficulty: moderate slope with steps
The Dogwood Trail features over 500 dogwood trees that flower during spring. There are also several natural seating areas that have been carved out by the forest.
The Orchard Trail
- Length: 1/2 mile
- Surface: hard surface, walking and biking trail
- Difficulty: gentle slope
The Orchard Trail features an evergreen forest with several species of pine trees as well as Eastern red cedars. This trail accesses the main entrance to the museum.
The Tulip Tree Trail/Crystal Spring Trail
- Length: 1/2 mile
- Surface: crushed granite hiking trail
- Difficulty: moderate slope with steps
The Tulip Tree Trail features some of the largest trees on the Crystal Bridges grounds. Tulip Tree forms a loop into the Crystal Spring Trail which features a natural spring that flows from the ground at a cool 50 degrees and feeds the museums ponds. The Tulip Tree/Crystal Spring Trail provides access to the Museums’ Great Hall and South Lobby.
Art Trail
- Length: 1/3 mile
- Surface: hard surface, walking and biking trail
- Difficulty: moderate slope
The Art Trail features sculpture and many native plants including Cone Flowers, American Basket Flowers, and Black-eyed Susans. The Art Trail connects the Museum’s south entrance to the Crystal Bridges Trail.
The Crystal bridges Trail
- Length: 1 1/2 miles
- Surface: hard surface, walking and biking trail
- Difficulty: moderate slope
Crystal Bridges Trail features a lovely walk through Compton gardens, a mountain bike trail, and an overlook area where guests can view the Museum campus from the ridge above. Crystal Bridges Trail connects the Art Trail with downtown Bentonville.
The Museum
After our beautiful hike it was on to the museum! The design of the museum was
created by architect Moshe Safdie. The buildings form literal bridges within the landscape which formulates an exquisite fusion of design and nature.
The magnificent collection of art tells the unfolding story of the United States from the Colonial era to the present.
Colonial Section
Portraiture was the focus for American art during the Colonial period. Portraits enabled colonists to document family and business relationships as well as demonstrating their wealth and taste. The paintings were often based on British and European art giving colonists a link to their homelands. After the Revolutionary War, artists painted many portraits of founding fathers such as George Washington.
19th Century
In the early part of the nineteenth century American artists forged American identity with everyday life painted in a realist style. Artists also looked to nature and the American landscape which would become an important theme for painting throughout the 19th century.
Post Civil War, American art became cosmopolitan as artists traveled and studied in Europe. The late nineteenth century is marked by diverse artistic styles and subjects which influenced by the latest trends in European art adapted for American audiences.
Modern
In the Modern period (roughly 1900 -1960) American art continued to be diverse with some artists experimenting with fractured forms of Cubism and abstraction. Other artists explored the lives of Americans in urban and rural areas in a realist style. During the Great Depression of the 1930 s, many artists used their work to criticize social and economic conditions that they believed led to poverty and discrimination.
After World War II, several American artists blended European-derived Cubism and Surrealism with an interest in psychology and philosophy to produce a style known as Abstract Expressionism, which placed America on the leading edge of modern art.
Contemporary
Contemporary American art continues the experimental intricacy of late 20th century art. Works that are representative, abstract, and conceptual, created in painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, photography, mixed media, and new digital technologies.
Dining and Coffee
After we had strolled through the history of American Art, we were starving! Fortunately, Crystal bridges has a delightful restaurant that offers lunch daily from 11AM-3PM. They also serve dinner on Wednesday and Friday from 5PM-9PM. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.
We topped our lunch off with a cup of gourmet coffee served at the coffee bar located in the main lobby, open everyday until 6PM except Tuesday.
The Museum Store
Next we stopped at the Museum Store which offered educational and art-centric toys and games, a wide selection of books, gifts, jewelry, apparel, and prints of the most popular works. Original works by the finest regional artists and artisans along with classic home decor and glassware by notable designers were also available for purchase.
Library
There is also a Crystal Bridges Library which offers a large collection of art
reference materials that are available to scholars, students, educators, and community members who wish to learn more about American art and cultural heritage.The library is open to the public during Museum hours.
What an amazing day of embracing American art, dining,
hiking, and shopping at Crystal Bridges Museum, a Northwest Arkansas ” Treasure.” Click here to reserve a tour.
Posted in
Museums on January 9th, 2012
The Titanic in Branson will soon be featuring a new exhibit from the “Unsinkable Molly Brown’s” collection. Her actual name was Margaret “Maggie” Tobin Brown and she was born in Hannibal, Missouri in 1867.
On Thursday, March 22, 2012 Helen Benziger, Brown’s great granddaughter, will be dedicating the gallery. Helen Benziger was 13 before she was made aware that the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” was really her great-grandmother. After this discovery was made, it has been her desire to keep Margaret Brown’s legacy alive.
The “Molly Brown Artifact Collection” includes items such as furniture, crystal glassware, artwork, photographs, and Titanic memorabilia. Titanic guests will also be able to view costumes worn by Debbie Reynolds in the movie “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” In addition guests will see many other beautiful pieces from the mansion Maggie lived in with her husband J.J. Brown, a Denver millionaire.
A couple of interesting notes regarding Margaret Brown are as follows. Margaret and James Joseph Brown (JJ) had met and married in Leadville, Colorado. It was only after they were married that JJ was awarded a large share of stock to a mining company due to his engineering efforts for the company. Also, it was the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” who encouraged the crew of Lifeboat No. 6 to go back and search for any remaining survivors from the RMS Titanic.
The Titanic is open year round in Branson Missouri. The museum will be closed January 16th – 19th to install this new exhibit. We are looking forward to the addition of Margaret Tobin Brown’s collection.
Posted in
Museums on August 19th, 2011
There are many events currently being planned in the USA and the UK to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the Titanic’s epic maiden voyage. James Cameron’s “Titanic” movie will be re-released in 3D. There are commemorative Cruises setting sail from both the US and the UK. ABC television will present a four-part miniseries, and John Joslyn, owner of Titanic Museums in Branson and Pigeon Forge, TN. will re-release his ratings-breaking Titanic television show.
The Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson has planned a year-long schedule of unique and exciting special events for Branson visitors as well. The planned events include:
*A “Back to Titanic” Ireland Sweepstakes voyage to Titanic’s birthplace
*Interactive participation in a Rose Petal tribute to the 2,208 passengers and crew who lived the experience.
*A candle light service, lighting of an eternal flame, and a rescue rocket display.
*Guests can meet descendants of Titanic passengers and crew who have traveled from all over the world in order to appear at the Titanic in Branson ( 2012).
We will post more information about specific schedules and more details about the events as this information becomes available.
Posted in
Museums on April 11th, 2011
Spend an afternoon with some of your favorite stars “in the wax”!
The Hollywood Wax Museum of Branson has been one of the most photographed buildings in the area since it opened in 1996. The exterior is an inventive version of Mt. Rushmore, including the sculpted faces of John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Charlie Chaplin. A recent multi-million dollar renovation has added a New York City skyline complete with King Kong!
Once inside, you will take a backstage journey through some of the most famous television and silver screen scenes of all time. Jump inside Jeannie’s bottle, ride aboard the Titanic, sit on the bench with Forest Gump, beam onto the Starship Enterprise, wrestle with Nacho Libre, fire Donald Trump, fight some crime “Gucci style” with Charlie’s Angels, sing for the American Idol judges, or snuggle up to Johnny Depp.
There is also an enormous castle next door to the Hollywood Wax Museum which houses the “Castle of Chaos,” the world’s first 5D ride and game in one, and “Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors,” where you find your way through hundreds of mirrored archways in a gallant quest to unlock the maze from Ugly Hetty’s spell and save Princess Hannah!
For a star-studded adventure, don’t miss the Hollywood Wax Museum of Branson!
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| Phone: 1-800-768-3892 · Address: 1294 State Hwy 248 Branson, MO. 65616 |
