Song of Hope Museum offers open house to showcase new displays

Branson has a rich and vibrant music history and much of that has been preserved by The Song of Hope foundation and the Song of Hope Museum.

Opened three years ago this month by Song of Hope's Marshall Howden, the museum features the area's largest collection of Branson music show memorabilia that tells the story of Branson's past, outlining how a tiny town in the Missouri Ozarks became known as the Live Entertainment Capital of the World.

"I began the museum as a part of my overall Song of Hope movement to keep the history of our music shows alive, as well as promoting their advancement into the future," Marshall Howden explained. "But, more specifically, it was created to complement the giant Jim Stafford guitar neck that we won at an auction. That iconic piece needed a home, so we built a museum around it. Each room has a special centerpiece. In the main room are the iconic rack cards and brochures—over 700 individual pieces—going all the way back to the 1960s. In the center room is our model of the Mel Tillis Theatre. And, in the Gallery Room, it's the Stained Glass Yellow Ribbon that adorned the front of Tony Orlando's Theatre for many years."

As he has continued to add to the museum, filling every possible spot with iconic pieces of Branson memorabilia, Howden realized that, even if people had visited the museum when it opened, there was so much more to see. He decided to hold a community event to show how the museum has progressed. An open house and guided tour brought together many area residents, visitors and even some well-known Branson talent, as the group gathered to reminisce about Branson's past and look forward to what is ahead.

During the guided tour, Howden pointed out some of the museum's newest pieces.

Said Howden, "Some newer displays include an additional model of the Clay Cooper Theatre to go alongside our model of the Mel Tillis Theatre, the Branson Legends Portrait Gallery (with painting of Roy Clark, Boxcar Willie, etc.), a wall dedicated to all the proclamations of the Branson Entertainer Holidays, and of course, the new Branson flag, which is proudly displayed in our Yellow Ribbon Gallery Room. One new exhibit we have still yet to roll out is our Costume Exhibit, with outfits from the Plummer Family and Yakov Smirnoff, among many others."

Howden continued, "My goal with the museum is to continue to grow our collection of Branson memorabilia and be an educational hub for the history of our Live Music Shows. Furthermore, a long-term goal is standing the Jim Stafford Guitar neck back up as a monument sign in front of the museum and restoring some of the old neon signs in our Neon Sign Backlot to their original glory."

The Song of Hope Museum is located in the Coffelt Country Craft Village, in the Historic Red Schoolhouse at the front of the property.  The address is 673 State Highway 165. The Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except some select holidays.

Admission to the museum is free, and Howden has plans to keep it that way; however, donations are always welcome. If you would like to help the foundation, please send a check to the Song of Hope Historical Society, 106 Rose O'Neill Drive, Branson, MO 65616.