May 1, 2009, Newsletter Issue #6: Things to Do in Branson, Mo: Veterans Memorial Museum

Tip of the Week

There are many things to do in Branson, Mo, from taking in a show to fishing. If you are into military history, though, the place to go is the Veterans Memorial Museum. It is truly a veterans’ museum, in that it has military memorabilia donated by soldiers. Its range is vast, covering the wars of the 20th century—World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.

According to the museum’s site, the man behind the museum is Fred Hoppe, whose own father served in World War II. It was hearing the war stories of his father and his fellow veterans that inspired Hoppe to found the museum. Hoppe is an acclaimed bronze sculptor who sculpted the focal piece of the museum—an amazingly life-like 70-foot long bronze sculpture with fifty life-size soldiers running up a coast. The museum’s site explains that “a combat soldier from each of the fifty states was used as models for the life-size figures.” These personal touches combined with the fact that the museum holds artifact donated by soldiers and soldiers’ families, are just part of the reason why this museum has been named by the Veterans Task Force as one of the "greatest tributes ever completed to honor our country's veterans." So, if you are a military buff, this is a must-see stop on your next visit to Branson.

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