Top Branson History Museums for Kids
Branson is known for its world-class live shows, the stunning natural scenery around the Ozark mountains, pristine lakes, and the award-winning Silver Dollar City’s theme park, but the exciting attractions in Branson have expanded and now includes a growing list of diverse museums. Below you will find the top Branson history museums for kids.
The World’s Largest Toy Museum is one of the top Branson history museums for kids that houses thousands of toys including trains, dolls, and puppets. As you step inside the museum you feel like travelling back in time and experience the feeling of being young again. Inside the museum, you will find over 1 million toys from the 1800s to present including model trains, planes, cars, dolls, superhero figures, Disney and much more. You will also see many types of miniature toys, ranging from exciting action figures such as G.I. Joes and General Lee.
Some of the must-sees in this historical museum in Branson are toys from the 1700s to the present that have a vast display. While enjoying a great time with the great display of toys, don’t forget to stroll down the memory lane where memories unfold and your childhood days will be remembered. Roaming around the museum allows you to reminisce and peer into America’s unforgettable history of toys. Don’t forget to check out some of the popular toys that you have owned during your childhood days such as Tom Mix, Groucho Marx, and Shirley Temple.
You will also be impressed to see the vast collections of old designs of ships, planes, trains, classic cars and motorcycles, cap guns, BB guns, pedal cars, bicycles, tin wind-ups, dolls, Star Wars, Disney characters, G.I. Joes, trucks, and toy soldiers. Nearly all types of toys can be found inside this amazing museum. From the collectible legos to an actual size Rolls-Royce on display, you’re sure to enjoy a great time inside the museum.
The Dinosaur Museum is also a top history museum for kids in Branson that allows guests to see the replicas of the biggest creatures ever lived on earth. The dinosaur exhibits that are greatly displayed inside the museum range from the foot-high Microraptor to the T-Rex that stands at over two-stories high with sophisticated animatronics. Located at West 76 Country Boulevard in Branson, the Dinosaur Museum features an enormous display of exhibits of over 50 life-size dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, activity centers, and an in-house movie theater where you can watch educational films about the amazing creatures.
Inside the museum, you will see man-made life-size sculptures of dinosaurs, many are more than just fossils, bringing a sense of reality and authenticity about the displays. When the museum opened in 2009, thousands of visitors have already visited the place to see amazing recreations of monstrous creatures. Upon entering the facility, you will feel like you have been transported back in time as you get close to the long-toothed monsters. These monstrous replicas of pre-historic creatures were the works of the best artists and sculptors in the world who toiled to bring the gigantic creatures to life.
When you visit the museum on a self-guided tour, you’ll discover everything from the ferocious-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex to the relatively tiny, one-foot-tall Microraptor. Each of the displays of dinosaur in the museum features descriptive details to help everyone who has questions about the creatures, giving everyone an educational and entertaining adventure. The replica displays of gigantic creatures were skillfully handcrafted by trained paleoartists who fashioned molds from original dinosaur skeletons, making a realistic recreation of each creature to look like an authentic dinosaur.
Harold Bell Wright Museum is another top history museum for kids in Branson where you can find the original manuscript of the best-selling book, “The Shepherd of the Hills,” and Mr. Wright’s collection of furniture and paintings. In the early mid-twentieth century, Wright has written several best-selling books. He was the first writer to become a millionaire out of his writing vocation because of the popularity of his books.
Harold Bell Wright Museum is home to the National BB Gun Museum which features a great display of BB guns dating back to the 1850s and a special GI Joe display. With over 500 vintage BB guns and various displays, this is a perfect place to visit for anyone who ever owned a BB gun, dreamed of having one or simply want to see this unique American toy. BB guns were first patronized in the very early 1900s when Daisy, one of the earliest makers of BB guns, marketed its products with ad promotion that declared “Daisy: The BB Gun that every boy dreams about.”
Daisy continues to be one of the most widely known manufacturers of BB guns. The National BB Gun Museum is full of different models and you will find many different makes and models and it is interesting to compare the differences between them. The National BB Gun Museum is a must-visit attraction in Branson for any BB gun enthusiast especially if you owned a BB gun as a child.
The Stearns Bear Museum is another history museum for kids that call the complex home. Inside the museum, you will find Stearns Teddy Bears that have been uniquely handcrafted by the internationally known Stearns family of Stotts City, Missouri since 1981. Each Teddy Bear is one-of-a-kind creation made of recycled materials including stuffing, clothing, furs, furniture, jewelry, incorporating them into each custom made bear.
Inside the Howard Bell Wright Museum, you will also find World of Checkers Museum. Here you will see collections of Don Deweber, a.k.a. “Mr. Checker’s”, an international expert on checkers, checker books and checker memorabilia. You will see his collection of checkers made out of wood, cardboard, ivory, marbles, Bakelite, bone and flooring material. Don’t miss to take a moment to sit down and play a game of checkers. Paul Harvey Jr. The museum is another history museum inside the complex where you can see original furnishings and many of Paul’s childhood toys as well as those of Wife Angel and their son.
If you bring along the kids the next time you spend a wonderful vacation in the Ozarks, don’t miss to check out these top Branson history museums for kids.
