Fun Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.
Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to visit the state of Missouri
1.) The Haygoods- I first found this family when they auditioned on American Idol and I was blown away by the talent. If you're ever in Branson and can afford the admission cost of $52 the show is absolutely amazing. 31st SMASH-HIT SEASON! Celebrating 31 Years of Legendary Family Entertainment! Experienced by over 6 Million People! World Class Production and Special Effects! 5 Brothers and 1 Sister performing on 20+ Instruments! BRANSON'S MOST POPULAR SHOW!! CALL EARLY! THE HAYGOODS SELL OUT FAST! The Haygoods are Modern Family Entertainment at its BEST! This group of six siblings, (5 brothers and 1 sister), bring an all-new show to the Branson stage every year. Stunning visual effects and a state of the art stage presentation are the backdrop to an amazing array of musical styles, performed with more energy and excitement than anything you have ever experienced! The hits of today's Country, Rock, and Pop artists along with the music of the last 5 decades, are showcased in an electrifying ride of song, rhythm, and sound that you won't soon forget! Fans of all ages LOVE The Haygoods and their music!
2.) The National WWI Museum and Memorial located in Kansas City hours of operation are 10-5 The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America's leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war. The Museum and Memorial takes visitors of all ages on an epic journey through a transformative period and shares deeply personal stories of courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Designated by Congress as America's official World War I Museum and Memorial and located in downtown Kansas City, Mo., the National WWI Museum and Memorial inspires thought, dialogue and learning to make the experiences of the Great War era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations. While here don't forget to go visit the Union Station and see all the history surrounding it as well as the science city at union station which I thoroughly enjoyed it since it's not far from this site
3.) The Zoo of St Louis hours of operation are 9-5 Visitors are wowed by this zoo that has 6,600 animals and 15 major exhibit areas.
4.) The Gateway Arch From the thrilling views to the amazing stories, a visit to the Gateway Arch is an experience that never fails to inspire. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, you’ll find activities to please every member of your party. Attractions include the Tram Ride to the Top of the Gateway Arch, the Museum at the Gateway Arch (opened July 3, 2018), a documentary film about the construction of the Arch, shopping at The Arch Store, a new Arch Cafe, and cruises aboard the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch. Tickets sell out early and often - advance purchase strongly recommended. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
5.) Titanic Museum Admission about $40 located in Branson Everyone knows the name Titanic! Everyone knows Titanic struck an iceberg! And everyone knows Titanic was lost! She sat at the bottom of the ocean for 75 years before they found her in 1985. A second expedition to the wreck site went out in 1986 and that expedition was co-led by the owner of this museum. The artifacts you see throughout the ship are REAL and valued at over $4 million dollars. You'll be able to touch a growing iceberg, experience the 28 degree water, try and steer the ship and pay tribute to the 2,208 passengers and crew that were on the Titanic. You will enter as a guest and leave as a Titanic Passenger!
6.) Missouri Botanical Garden located in St Louis hours of operation are 9-5 The Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis was founded in 1859 by Henry Shaw. Today, the Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display - widely considered one of the top three botanical gardens in the world. It features 79 acres of horticultural displays, including indoor conservatories and demonstration, formal and international gardens.
7.) City Museum located in Saint Louis Don't take the name so literally. We're about fun. Not your white walls, walk around, and be a quiet museum. If you want to climb around, get active with your kids or are a big kid at heart, we're the place. If you get freaked out easily, you might not want to come. We're four floors filled with miles of tunnels, a full cave system, over 30 slides, a circus, an arts area, a large outdoor climbing space, Architectural Museum, a Cabin that serves adult beverages, a Museum of Mayhem, Mirth and Mystery, and a ton more. Also, there's the roof with a Ferris Wheel and a bus hanging off its edge.
8.) Arabia Steamboat Museum located in Kansas City hour of operation are 10-5 The Arabia Steamboat Museum is a favorite Kansas City attraction, a history museum housing 200 tons of cargo from life on the American frontier in 1856. Our tour is now self-guided to assist with social distancing if you desire. You should plan about 90 minutes for a full experience.
9.) The Missouri State Penitentiary located in Jefferson City The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. The prison was already 100 years old when Alcatraz began taking inmates.The Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau now offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the "The bloodiest 47 acres in America" by Time magazine. Visitors can choose to take a History or Ghost Tour, among others, and will walk through several incredibly historic housing units, the vast upper yard of the property and the gas chamber, where 40 men and women were executed. The tour also showcases cells of infamous inmates such as Sonny Liston, and James Earl Ray, who escaped from MSP before assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. Tour Season runs March - November each year. Tour Season: March - November
10.) Ha Ha Tonka State Park located in Camdenton Imposing architecture and breathtaking scenery combine to make Ha Ha Tonka State Park one of Missouri’s most treasured spots. Located on the Lake of the Ozarks, the park features the stone ruins of a turn-of-the-20th-century castle built by a prominent Kansas City businessman high atop a bluff. More than 15 miles of trails traverse the park, leading visitors to sinkholes, natural bridges, caves and down to the lake.
11.) The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum located in Independence hours of operation are 9-5pm The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum is reopened, following a $29 million world-class transformation. Visitors can expect a cinematic experience of some of the most dramatic chapters of world history, from the Great War to WWII to the Red Scare and the Korean War, plus, the creation of the State of Israel, Civil Rights advancements, the extreme makeover of The White House and, of course, Truman's Whistle Stop campaign and 1948 victory. Hailed as "the new standard for presidential libraries" the new museum is a must-see experience for all ages! The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum is one of 15 presidential libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration.
12.) Rockcliffe Mansion located in Hannibal hours of operation are 10-4pm Rockcliffe Mansion is an amazing Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred SF, Thirty room, Grand Residence built to overlook the Mighty Mississippi between 1898 and 1900 by Lumber Baron John J Cruikshank, Jr. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the original antique furnishings and fixtures are preserved. The Mansion is filled with rich Mahogany, Oak and Walnut appointments, magnificent Palladian windows and the finest interior decorations from Europe and America. Guided Tours are available daily. In addition to Guided Tours, the Mansion offers 4 Bed & Breakfast accommodations. Open March 15th through November 15th. Please visit our Website for Tour hours and further information.
13.) The Magic House in St Louis hours of operation are 9:30-5pm This fun-filled attraction offers kids many hands-on learning activities and provides a special area for younger children.
14.) Nego Leagues Baseball Museum located in Kansas City hours of operation are 10-5pm Opened in 1991, this museum is a tribute to some of baseball's best unknown players.
15.) Butterfly Palace located in Branson hours of operation are 9-5pm Explore over 1,000 live exotic butterflies surrounded by tropical plants, birds and more! Wristbands are good for 3 days, unlimited access and include; Live Butterfly Aviary, 3D Video "Flight of the Butterflies" about the Monarch Migration, Great Banyan Tree Adventure, Mirror Maze and Rainforest Science Center with Live Reptiles and Amphibians. Bonus Features: -Live Butterfly Releases: Scheduled 4 times per day, newly emerged butterflies are released for their first flight and guests get to assist! -Complimentary nectar flowers for guests to hand feed the butterflies -LIVE MUSIC is played daily in the butterfly aviary by two musicians playing the Hammered Dulcimer -Critter Encounters: Scheduled 4 times per day where guests can learn about and pet one of the reptiles
16.) Veterans Memorial Museum located in Branson Admission is roughly $22.50 hours of operation are 9-5pm A national tribute to the brave men and women who defended our liberties during the 20th Century. The museum hosts 18,000 sq. ft. with 10 halls of history including WWII, Korea, Vietnam & Persian Gulf, You will find a list of the men and women who lost their lives in these wars and you will be fascinated and humbled by this moving memorial to our veterans.
17.) Marvel Cave located in Branson A highlight of the Silver Dollar City theme park, this constantly evolving wet limestone cave under the Ozark Mountains, dating back to the 1500s, provides a one-hour tour of fascinating rooms and passageways. The cave's entryway is the largest in the U.S.
18.) Kansas City Zoo hours of operation are 9:30-4pm Kansas City Zoo is home to more than 1,700 animals and is over 200 acres. A world-class Zoo with animals from around the globe, including penguins, polar bears, elephants, tigers and more!
19.) Aquarium at the Boardwalk located in Branson hours of operation are 8-10:30pm You'll be thrilled and mesmerized by this undersea journey that takes you through worlds teeming with colorful fish, sharks, stingrays, seahorses, and so much more. Along the way you'll be delighted by playful photo ops, activities, and adventures. Come splash below the water's surface on an exciting Submarine Adventure to begin your exploration at the Aquarium at the Boardwalk.
20.) National Tiger Sanctuary located in Saddlebrooke National Tiger Sanctuary is a non-profit, rescue facility that currently cares for a variety of big cats, including bengal tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions. Visit our big cats from three feet away Wednesday through Sunday. We offer a variety of tours and educational programs. Photography and questions encouraged, National Tiger Sanctuary is an educational campus dedicated to bringing awareness to the environmental conditions and their effects on the earth's ecosystems. Our mission is much bigger than just caring for our furry friends; we believe that through education we can all have a positive impact on the environment!
21.) Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum hours of operation are 9-5pm Visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum and learn how a small boy from Hannibal became America's most beloved author! Experience interactive exhibits, live Mark Twain performances, 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings, treasured Clemens family artifacts and Twain memorabilia. Visit the museum's 5 historic properties and 2 interactive museums including The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, a National Historic Landmark. Don't sneak away from Hannibal until you've visited!
22.) Patee House Museum located in Saint Joseph The mission of the Pony Express Historical Association is to interpret the early history and development of St. Joseph, from the days of the Pony Express and Jesse James to the 1920s, using authentic artifacts in the buildings where these events actually occurred.
23.) World's Largest Toy Museum located in Branson admission is roughly $23 hours of operation are 10-5pm Over a million toys dating as far back as the colonial days. You'll see toys you had, toys you wished you'd had, toys you wish you had back and toys you forgot all about having had. A wonderful trip down memory lane.
24.) Kaleidoscope located in Kansas City hours of operation are 9:30-3:30pm Kaleidoscope nourishes the creative spirit. It is a place where all children and their families are invited to be creative, have fun, and feel good about their own special ideas. Provided by Hallmark Cards, Kaleidoscope is FREE! At Kaleidoscope, children use their imaginations to make art with materials from Hallmark’s manufacturing processes. Some are cut into shapes, while others are left just as Hallmark sends them. And Hallmark provides different materials so the projects are ever-changing!
25.) Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum located in Ridgedale We are proud to present the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum, built by Johnny Morris, to share the rich history of the Ozarks and the animals and people who came before us. Featured items in the museum include a woolly mammoth, a saber toothed cat, giant ground sloth skeletons and prehistoric cave bears. Through artifacts, images, text and video you’ll learn about the Ozarks and the people and animals that lived here over 12,000 years ago up through the Civil War era. Nowhere else can outdoor enthusiasts, families and history buffs experience, in chronological order, the history of the Ozarks documented so thoroughly.
26.) Smallin Civil War Cave located in Ozark hours of operation are 9:30-5pm Discovered in 1818, Smallin Cave’s breathtaking ten-story arch will lead you into rich human history, unusual geology and rare cave life. One-hour guided tours, Open year-round.
27.) Wild Animal Safari - Springfield/Strafford hours of operation are 10-6pm Missouri opened in 1951 and was built by Pat Jones, father of Jerry Jones. The park consists of over 250 acres, including a five-mile Drive-Thru Safari and over twenty exhibits in the Walkabout Adventure Zoo. Guests can drive their own vehicle, rent a Safari SUV, or ride in the complimentary safari bus with a tour guide. The Walkabout Adventure Zoo area includes a reptile house, a new giraffe exhibit where the giraffes can be fed inside a warm barn during the colder winter months! Wild Animal Safari Springfield/Strafford has a full restaurant, free parking, large gift shop and over 250 acres where guests can get up front, close to, and feed many exotic wild animals. The park hosts groups, family reunions, school groups, birthday parties, Jr. Zookeeper Summer Day camps and much more. Tickets can be purchased at the park or online
28.) Glore Psychiatric Museum located in Saint Joseph hours of operation are 10-5pm Housed in the medical, surgical, and admitting unit of the former St. Joseph State Hospital, the museum is one of only a few of its kind. The original displays created in 1968 by the museum’s namesake, George Glore, are still a part of the collection. These exhibits give visitors a life-size visual of what mental health treatment devices looked like in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Exhibits also share the history of what was once known as “State Lunatic Asylum No. 2” when it opened in 1874. The exhibits include surgical tools, treatment equipment, and doctor’s personal notes. Patient artwork, such as pottery, paintings and needlework, is also on display to give visitors an idea of how patients faced their daily challenges and expressed themselves through their art. Exhibits include the contents removed from a patient’s stomach (such as nails, thimbles, and eating utensils) as well as a television set packed full of handwritten notes written by another patient.
29.) The Ralph Foster Museum located in Point Lookout hours of operation 9-5pm The Ralph Foster Museum contains a vast collection of artifacts with special emphasis on the history and culture of the Ozark Mountain Region. Originally housed in Abernathy Hall, a boy's dorm on the campus of College of the Ozarks, the building has been transformed into three floors of exhibits where visitors will find many items of interest, such as antiques, dolls, clocks, music items, a large firearms collection, natural history, and textiles, in addition to the Beverly Hillbillies truck that was used in the television series.
30.) Precious Moments Park located in Carthage this was like walking into my childhood as I grew up loving these precious dolls.A 6,400-square-foot sanctuary containing 52 murals.
31.) Walt Disney Hometown Museum hours are 10-4pm Walt first came to Marceline by train when he was five years old. The Santa Fe train arrived at the depot that preceded the present-day one, which was rebuilt in 1913. When Walt returned to Marceline for the first time in 1946, the depot evoked his first memories of pulling into Marceline. So it is fitting that the museum dedicated to one of the most influential persons of the last century is housed in this restored Santa Fe Depot.
32.) Gary's Gay Parita located in Ash Grove- Want to take a trip down memory although Gary & Lena Turner are no longer with us, their daughter Barbara, and husband George (Marine Veteran) are keeping the dream alive. The property is a work in progress and is of historical significance.Classic stop on Route 66. You should make time to stop here. There is a wealth of information here and so many displays to check out. This is a "must see" stop. There is also a huge Route 66 logo on the highway in front of the shop.
33.) Jesse James Birthplace Museum located in Kearny hours of operation are 9-4pm Jesse James, son of a Baptist minister, was born at the family home in 1847. He and his older brother, Frank, fought with the guerrillas during the Civil War. The Jesse James Birthplace features the world's largest display of James family artifacts and Jesse's original grave site. The tour consists of a twenty minute introductory film, three galleries of artifacts, a small gift shop and a guided tour through the James family cabin.
34.) The Historic Daniel Boone Home at Lindenwood Park located in Defiance hours of operation are 8:30-5pm We are currently operating under WINTER HOURS. Guided tours are only available SATURDAYS and SUNDAYS until March 1st. Due to the ongoing pandemic, guided tours are limited to 6 people at a time. Please call for more information. The Historic Daniel Boone Home features the home of the legendary hero Daniel Boone and his family. The four-story, Georgian style home was built in the 1800's overlooking the Femme Osage Valley. The village comprises over a dozen 19th century buildings including the Old Peace Chapel, grist mill, schoolhouse, and carpenter's shop. Together these buildings help visitors understand life on the Missouri frontier. As a county park, visitors are welcome to walk around the grounds at their leisure. Guided tours are available of the Boone Home and/or village. Group tours and school group programs available with reservations. Not all buildings are handicap accessible. The Old Peace Chapel and Grand Pavilion are available to rent for weddings and private services.
35.) Fast Lane Classic Car located in Saint Charles hours of operation are 9:30-6 Founded in 1994, we are a family-owned classic and collector car dealership located in St. Charles, Missouri. Come visit us! Our campus is always open to tour for FREE! It features three huge showrooms filled with over 180 high quality cars, trucks, and motorcycles. We also have a state-of-the-art service facility, a restoration shop, and an auto detail facility. Our buildings feature automobile art, memorabilia, and antiques curated from around the world; and our gift shop has something for every auto enthusiast. There is something for everyone at Fast Lane Classic Cars!
With over 800 different things to do in Missouri and some so full of history I promise you will find something amazing to do. I encourage you to really start digging into the history packed state and share your findings.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeautifulChaos318
