Bass Pro Shop in Springfield MO

We had not been to the corporate headquarters of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield Missouri for many decades. Turns out they have made this into quite the place to see!

When we travel I do a Google search for "Things to do in (fill in the blank)". The results for Springfield, Missouri included mention of a great weapons museum  and archery museum at Bass Pro Shops. Both were very well done and worth the time to see them.

In addition to the the excellent gun and archery museums the store is full of interesting displays that give the feeling of the outdoors being inside the store.

This was the biggest surprise to me of the entire museum. I had no idea Lewis and Clark carried a powerful 20 shot repeater air rifle with them on their journey. The museum docent told us they showed the rifle to the Indians along the way, but not the device that charged the air chamber. That device required 1500 strokes to pump up the air bladder and was a task shared amount all the men who went on the trip.

The museum floor had very interesting material treatments

The Archery Museum was found at the top of these steps

All of the displays were attractively presented

It is nice to see the "First" of any invention. In this case it is the first prototype of a compound bow created by Holless Wilbur Allen. This changed the entire sport of archery. 

The museums overlook the gun sales area on the main floor