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While visiting Branson, MO we visited the Ralph Foster Museum. Ronnie and I love history and visiting museums is always fun for us. The Ralph Foster Museum is on the campus of the College of the Ozarks, it houses three floors of Ozark history and promises you hours of entertainment.
One of the exhibits I loved was the original car from the Beverly Hillbilly Show. It also has many valuable antiques. There was just so much to see and so many interesting exhibits. One exhibit, the Ozark Mountain Music Pioneers Hall of Fame, honors people whose fame doesn’t extend very far from the Ozarks. The first floor also has the Edwards Art Gallery, it shows off local artists.
The second floor is home to Ralph Foster’s extensive gun collection, some replicas of famous Ozarkian’s offices, and assorted examples of natural history. Ralph D. Foster, who was an avid gun collector, donated the majority of the collection. Also among the firearms displayed are some pistols and a rifle owned by Pancho Villa.
The third floor is made up of more natural history artifacts such as birds, butterflies, moths, and rocks and minerals. Also on the third level there is a special History of the Ozarks sections, as well as information on the history of College of the Ozarks. There is just so many wonderful things to see here!
You will find many collections in this museum from cars, furniture, kuppie dolls, cameos, currency, stamps, stuffed wild animals , doll houses even a music room. Other artifacts you can see is a collection of Native American artifacts, a doll collection, a tractor and farm machinery collection, a collection of African artifacts and lots of other interesting items on display ranging from stuffed big game animals to musical instruments.
All in all, we very much enjoyed our visit to the Ralph Foster Museum and the beautiful campus at the College of The Ozarks. If you love museums, then make sure to stop by and check this one out!
Connect with the Ralph Foster Museum HERE.
Betsy Mitchell
Friday 9th of May 2014
Looks like a great museum. I will have to stop by next time I'm in Branson.