Song of Hope Historical Society is presenting the “Branson Boom Exhibition” at the Meadows Theatre (formerly the Branson Meadows Event Center) on Gretna Road. This free exhibition showcases Branson’s appearance on the national stage as the “Live Music Show Capital of the World.” Visitors take a self-guided tour through Branson’s Live Music Shows’ rise to fame. The location at Branson Meadows offers visitors the chance to take their time and review everything in the exhibit in a climate-controlled environment
Marshall Howden, founder of the Song of Hope Society, says, “Originally, we intended for the ‘Branson Boom Exhibition’ to be a one-month run. Popular demand kept extending it month after month, and we realized the exhibition should become a permanent part of the Song of Hope Collection.” According to Howden, the exhibit is a big hit with visitors because it allows them to easily follow gold star placards on a free self-guided journey through the events that helped make Branson famous. Howden said, “The Song of Hope mission is to preserve the history and advance the future of Branson’s famous live music show industry for the betterment of our city and the entire region.”
As part of the mission, the Song of Hope Museum, which includes a historical signage collection, was created on Hwy. 165 in Coffelt Country. Howden said, “When we established the concept of the Song of Hope Museum, we got lots of calls from people wanting to donate historical memorabilia. One of those calls was from photographer, designer, community consultant and publisher of Branson Update Magazine, Michael London. Michael invited me to explore his collection of over three decades of live action show photography and specially designed photo journal stories about Branson’s live music shows and stars - and stories of how the community came together to create all the many celebrations we value so much now such as Veterans Homecoming Week and Ozark Mountain Christmas. I encouraged Michael to create the ‘Branson Boom Exhibition’ as this exhibit shows us in beautiful vivid photography and historical documents how our live music shows and cooperative community marketing efforts helped make Branson famous.”
The "Branson Boom Exhibition" showcases Branson's appearance on the national stage. Gold star-bordered placards lead guests through the history of Branson's live music shows' rise to fame as seen in the photography and stories of Branson Update. The exhibit also pays tribute to a number of the volunteer collaborative marketing efforts undertaken by the Branson community.
Branson Update Magazine, a trade publication delivered to professional tour operators across North America, first appeared in 1994. It was the only publication of its type, solely focused on communicating information needed to plan group tours to Branson. As such, Branson Update played a pivotal role in helping build Branson's live music show boom. The "Branson Boom Exhibition" also shares several other special contributions to Branson's growth spearheaded by Michael London, with support from many community members, including the "Branson's Fun for Everyone" publicity campaign, the “100 Show Celebration," the "Branson Strip Image," and more. London received a special award from the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB for his participation in making Branson world-famous.
Branson Mayor Larry Milton says, "Michael's participation and leadership in many initiatives helped make Branson a national destination. He is always looking for ways to improve and contribute to our community marketing efforts to get more visitors to Branson. His publication, “Branson Update,” was a vital part of the tour bus boom of the late '90s. Plus, his volunteer efforts for three decades have made our guest experience better through community improvement projects such as the 'Traffic Solutions' initiative and leading the 'Revitalization of Ozark Mountain Christmas' effort. Perhaps, the greatest of all of Michael's contributions is the publicity campaign 'Branson's Fun for Everyone' that resulted in the 'fun' message about Branson literally going around the world on the internet."
Michael London says, “The exhibition includes stories with never-before-seen photography of many stars and events presented in alpha order binders. Visitors can easily look up their favorite shows of the past, see the live action show photos, and read a brief overview.” The Branson Boom Exhibition basically begins in 1994 and travels through 2013. While the “Live Music Show Capital of the World” continues to this day, the Branson Boom Exhibition presents the story of how we got here, and the Song of Hope Society intends to keep that progress moving forward. London adds, “Live music shows are the unique experiences that make Branson stand out from other destinations. The live shows are filled with world-class entertainers who make our visitors feel like they are part of our Branson family. Together we all share and treasure the hospitality and core values that Branson provides to the world.”
The Meadows Theatre is located on Gretna Road in the Branson Meadows Shopping Mall across from the Meadows Cinema. Doors are primarily open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Branson Boom Exhibition is in the main lobby.
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