For kids, collectors and the young-at-heart, the World’s Largest Toy Museum is a Branson, Missouri attraction filled with toys and fun exhibits for visitors to explore. With toys from as far back as 1880, a number of the items in the collection are well over 100 years old!

Branson, Missouri visitors are encouraged to bring the whole family to this famous museum, featuring antique and modern toys. Inside, Branson, Missouri guests discover a broad toy timeline, with everything from old-fashioned hand-carved toys to Elvis memorabilia to Star Wars objects.

Items in the museum’s displays range from traditional classics to unique toys that are one-of-a-kind. During your excursion, peruse toys as tiny as a thimble and as large as a genuine full-sized Rolls Royce. Branson, Missouri visitors also frequently comment on the museum’s sheer number of toys, which is well into the thousands.

Among the many sub-collections for Branson, Missouri vacationers to explore within the museum are pedal cars, cap guns and interesting wind-up toys. Also included are toy soldiers, trucks, boats, cars and trains. And the Branson, Missouri toy museum wouldn’t be complete without Barbie dolls and bicycles.

More generally, the World’s Largest Toy Museum entertains Branson, Missouri visitors with a fascinating celebration of childhood. Patrons who tour the exhibits get the chance to see treasures that brought smiles to the faces of young boys and girls around the world, some more than a century ago.

For those enjoying luxury accommodations in the area at such Branson, Missouri resorts as Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, the museum provides a perfect way for vacationing families to spend quality time together. Adults rediscover their favorite childhood toys, while children get a great peak at life before video games – and even before television!

In addition to its lakes, mountains, shows and attractions, Branson, Missouri features a world of opportunities for wine tasting. Guests at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa – Branson’s only AAA Four-Diamond Resort – enjoy award-winning wines and a seasonal wine tasting series in the resort’s elegant Chateau Grille restaurant. The Branson, Missouri area is also home to three wineries, ideal for learning and tasting even more.

Winner of Wine Spectator magazine’s prestigious “Award of Excellence,” Chateau Grille treats Branson, Missouri vacationers to a six-page wine list designed to provide the perfect complement for each of the restaurant’s exquisitely prepared dishes. Chateau Grille exceeds expectations not only with its delicious cuisine, but with its comprehensive and highly acclaimed wine offerings as well.

The restaurant features a stunning view overlooking Table Rock Lake, which is among Branson, Missouri’s largest and most popular lakes for its abundant fishing, water sports and natural beauty. Thus, Chateau Grille provides the perfect setting for Chateau on the Lake’s winter Vintner Series, hosted annually at the resort.

This seasonal wine tasting series is composed of a handful of Vintner Dinners, each showcasing a well-known winery and highlighted by an elaborate five-course dining experience. Featured wineries present interesting wines, facts, observations and recommendations. The events’ menus vary but are always tantalizing, concocted by the Branson, Missouri resort’s experienced Executive Chef and served by Chateau Grille’s attentive staff.

Branson, Missouri hotel visitors can also discover Chateau Grille’s secrets with regard to wine pairings and selections by sitting at the Chef’s Table, which can only be reserved in advance. Here, gain insight on recipes, preparation, spices and flavors – straight from the Executive Chef himself.

Finally, area visitors can absorb even more of Branson, Missouri’s beauty with a visit to the area’s wineries to try locally produced wines. Branson’s options include Branson Ridge Winery, Mount Pleasant Winery and Stone Hill Winery, all offering free tours and presentations pertaining to the craft of winemaking. At each winery, Branson, Missouri visitors can peruse a gift shop to purchase some great Branson wines.

The actual population of Branson, Missouri is somewhere around 7,000. However, a great many people also call the mountain areas surrounding Branson home. It was these mountains that greeted and served as home for Branson’s initial entertaining families in 1959, beginning with the Mabe brothers.

The Mabe brothers started as a Branson family who performed twice a week in a converted roller skating rink on Lake Taneycomo in what once was downtown Branson. This trailblazing Branson foursome blended popular country tunes with traditional Ozark Mountain music. They also treated Branson, Missouri visitors to a bit of comedy for further entertainment.

In 1968, the Mabe brothers built a theater on Highway 76, which runs through Branson, Missouri. Here, their act and audience flourished further. Today, the ‘Bald Knobbers,’ as they called themselves, are recognized for having the longest continuously running show in Branson, Missouri.

However, the Bald Knobbers weren’t Branson, Missouri’s only family with entertainment on their minds. In 1960, Hugo and Mary Herchend fulfilled plans to open a small, old-time Ozark village attraction in Branson, Missouri. The attraction was established on top of Marvel Cave, nearly 10 miles west of Branson on Highway 76.

Marvel Cave, which was located where Silver Dollar City theme park now sits, was the first attraction to draw visitors to the Branson, Missouri area over a century ago. Although various stars, mainly country music singers, began coming to the Branson, Missouri area in the 1980s, the city’s long, rich history shows itself in Branson entertainment – even today.

Visitors began being drawn to the Branson, Missouri area over 100 years ago, enticed by Branson’s inspiring natural beauty and plentiful outdoor recreation activities. However, people did not arrive then in the droves that now make Branson, Missouri one of America’s most popular family vacation destinations.

The early beginnings of the Branson, Missouri area involved minister Harold Bell Wright, who moved to the Ozarks in 1898. While in Branson, Wright lived at the homestead of John and Anna Ross. He later immortalized them as “Old Matt” and “Aunt Mollie” in his famous novel, “The Shepherd of the Hills.” Published in 1907, the novel offers tales of the strong, self-sustaining people Wright encountered in Branson, Missouri and its wooded valleys, among other interesting local discoveries and details.

The book, set in Branson, Missouri, sold millions of copies in multiple languages. It was so famous, in fact, that four movies were filmed – including a version in 1941 that featured John Wayne. It was Wayne’s first Technicolor film. Following the publication of “The Shepherd of the Hills” and particularly upon the release of the movies, Branson, Missouri residents began noticing a greater onset of visitors.

Lake Taneycomo was created with the building of the Ozark Beach Dam (also known as Powersite Dam) in Branson, Missouri in 1913. At this point, the Branson area became even more attractive to outdoor enthusiasts. The Branson area and such Branson resorts as Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa continue to attract vacationers who prefer fishing, boating, swimming, hunting and enjoying the rugged natural beauty of the Ozark Mountains and Branson, Missouri’s plentiful lakes.

Touring the world with their record-breaking show, The Twelve Irish Tenors are sparking a sensation wherever they appear – and performing some of the greatest songs of the 20th Century. Branson, Missouri hotel guests and visitors simply can’t get enough of the group, calling it a truly talented batch of vocal musicians.

Branson hotel guests, such as those enjoying a family vacation at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, who have seen the group agree: “The music will make you melt.” Said David King, the show’s creator and producer, “The individual voices would be enough to hold their own on any stage, but when you combine twelve of Ireland’s finest, the result is breathtaking.” The Twelve Irish Tenors offer Branson hotel guests and area visitors a cleverly constructed selection of Irish folk songs, big Opera numbers, modern rock classics, pop and even a special tribute to the Beatles and Barry Manilow in their eclectic repertoire.

The Tenors sing with perfect harmonies and a touch of Irish charm, captivating Branson hotel guests and audience members of all ages. They move with ease from opera to pop, with each member of the group having the opportunity to showcase his own unique talent through a variety of songs. Branson hotel guests can relax and enjoy the sounds of such famous tunes as Danny Boy, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, Yesterday, Twist & Shout, Mack the Knife, New York New York and the opera classics, Nessun Dorma and La Donna E Mobile.

You’re planning a family vacation in Branson, Missouri – aptly dubbed the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World.” You’re considering which shows to see, but you’re seeking something different; you want something that’s not run-of-the-mill but retains that “Branson” family-style flavor. You’re in luck, with Legends in Concert — a live tribute show featuring a cast of all-star impersonators – loved by Branson resort guests and visitors of all ages.

The “Legends in Concert” theater is located along the famous 76 Strip and has been a part of the Branson entertainment scene for 12 years. Two hours of engaging entertainment is guaranteed for the Branson resort guests, couples and families who take in this amazing show. The production showcases talented impersonators who recreate legendary performances…and themselves as legendary performers.

From the looks of the original celebrities to the characteristics of their showmanship – including the movement, mannerisms and sounds of their voices – the Legends’ cast nails every detail in a most authentic way. The voices being heard are the performers’ actual voices – no recordings or karaoke tricks are used. Branson resort guests claim that it’s as if the stars themselves are truly right in front of you, serenading you in person.

You’ll be captivated by such stars as Garth Brooks, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe, George Strait, the Blues Brothers, and Elvis – from the 50s, of course. With fascinating shows that change four times a year, it’s easy to see why Legends In Concert remains such a popular production in Branson, Missouri among vacationing families and resort guests – including those who stay in ultimate luxury at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, Branson’s only AAA Four-Diamond resort.

It’s the building most frequently photographed in Branson, Missouri…and a popular attraction for visitors – many of whom enjoy the city’s famous sights as part of a relaxing family vacation at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, Branson’s only AAA Four Diamond Award-winning resort.

This building that is so often captured on film is Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, which from the outside looks as though it is about to split apart. Among Branson, Missouri’s most atypical architectural structures, its appearance – believe it or not – reflects a huge earthquake that hit the state in 1812.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum offers Branson, Missouri resort guests and area visitors the chance to peruse an eclectic collection of over 400 of some of the more bizarre and unexplainable things you may ever lay eyes on.

One of the sights you’ll behold is a Matchstick U.S.S. Forrestal, a replica of the Navy’s Aircraft Carrier, the U.S.S. Forrestal. It took over 600 hours to complete and is made from over 48,000 common household matchsticks and toothpicks. Due to its size and basic components, this ship is an amazing object for Branson, Missouri visitors touring the museum to see.

Another intriguing sight is a Playing Card Roman Coliseum. Built on a scale of 1″:11′, it is the replica of a famous Roman Coliseum crafted from 1,971 ordinary playing cards. This small-scale phenomenon was originally built as a High School history project. Branson, Missouri museum visitors can observe the model up-close, with its 500 interior and exterior triangular arches.

When guests at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa are looking for a change of pace from the usual Branson, Missouri attractions, they certainly can’t find an activity further from the ordinary than a visit to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum!

During a vacation at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa – the premier resort of Branson, Missouri – guests can pay a visit to the Hollywood Wax Museum, which not only presents statues of well-known stars from every era, but spotlights life-like scenes from movies also cast in wax.

Inside the museum, visitors to our Branson, Missouri resort who explore the museum discover realistic looking, widely recognized movie stars, television actors, musicians and even presidents. Throughout the displays, pieces of information about the movies, shows and involved individuals are showcased to engage Branson, Missouri travelers.

Scenes and actors from classic and contemporary movies, ranging from “Gone With the Wind” to “Pirates of the Caribbean,” intrigue Branson, Missouri guests of every age. Other notable figures displayed in the Hollywood Wax Museum include musicians from many genres, such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Cher and more.

At Branson, Missouri’s Hollywood Wax Museum, visitors additionally discover a display of famous American presidents, from such great historical figures as Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, to modern presidents like Ronald Regan and Bill Clinton.

When you visit Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, in Branson, Missouri, there are always plenty of sights and attractions to enjoy. The Hollywood Wax Museum is great for family entertainment. Not only is the museum fun and interesting, it also has a gift shop filled with souvenirs that feature classic stars.

The Billboard World Song Contest, sponsored by Billboard Magazine, is proud to present its 15th Annual Contest in Branson, MO in 2008. Contest winners will receive over $30,000 in prizes, including cash, equipment, merchandise and promotional support.

First-place winners in all categories will be invited to perform their winning song onstage in Branson, MO in front of music industry professionals, theatre owners and talent buyers. In addition to the Billboard prizes, a $5,000 Grand Prize winner, Runner-up ($1,500), and second runner-up ($1,000) will be selected from the live performance line-up by a jury of industry insiders.

Among the song categories featured at this Branson, MO event are: Rock/Alternative Rock, Pop, Country, Latin, Folk/Americana, Jazz, Contemporary Christian/Gospel, R&B/Blues, Dance, Rap/HipHop and World. A new category – Electronica/Soundtrack – also seeks entries.

The top three winners in each of the eleven categories – including first-placers performing here in Branson, MO – will have their song featured on a CD that will distributed exclusively to industry decision-makers. This contest offers great exposure for up-and-coming songwriters, as well as a chance to experience Branson, MO.

Once a year, Branson, MO – where you’ll find Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa – packs a little bit of everything it has to offer into five fun-filled days, showcasing world-class performers, local arts and culture, and authentic Branson, MO cuisine.

Known as BransonFest, this celebration welcomes spring with an incredible array of Branson, MO’s finest features and attractions – all in one location! Celebrating its 16th year, BransonFest 2008 is set to take place between April 8th and 12th at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater complex.

Activities begin at Noon on Tuesday, April 8th, and the first “Big Show” is in the American Bandstand Theatre here in Branson, MO at 7:00 pm. At the daily “Big Shows”, you can sample some of Branson’s best shows. If you attend them all, you’ll enjoy at least 50!

Wednesday through Saturday, the outdoor activities begin at 9 a.m. and the “Big Shows” take place at 10:00 a.m. and 2 p.m. Plus, daily activities in the “Real American Entertainment” Tent and the Hospitality, Business and Arts tents are free and open to the public.

BransonFest 2008 is your chance to sample the inspiring experience that Branson, MO offers its more than seven million visitors annually. We can’t wait to see you at Chateau on the Lake for all the excitement in store!