Branson is a city in Taney County, Missouri, United States. It was named for Rueben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. Historically, Branson was a small city. Today it is sometimes referred to as a "Family-Friendly Las Vegas" because of the numerous shows and attractions, as well as the flashy building decorations and neon lights.

Originally envisioned as a center for lumber shipment from the Ozark Mountains, the city began to develop tourism in the 1930s. Today, Branson is a major regional destination in the United States with a well-known reputation for live music theaters. The city hosts three major amusement parks, as well as a diversified armada of live theaters that house everything from comedy and magic shows to variety music and dancing. Majority of these theaters are built along a portion of Highway 76 nicknamed "The Strip".

Author, painter, and pastor Harold Bell Wright began visiting the area in 1898 and used it for the setting in his book Shepherd of the Hills. Following publication in 1907 of The Shepherd of the Hills, locals began to see the first tourists longing to experience the scenic Ozarks as Wright had. Today the outdoor production of the Shepherd of the Hills is still being performed and is the longest running and most performed outdoor drama in America.

In the late 1950s the first two country music shows, The Baldknobbers and Presleys' Country Jubilee, appeared along Branson's main thoroughfare, Highway 76 followed by the Braschler Music Show as well as others. These three shows are still running today.

In the early 1960s the Hershend family opened Silver Dollar City, an 1880s-themed craft village on the site of Marvel Cave. Over the years Branson has grown to include over 100 live shows in nearly 50 theaters; other tourist attractions include museums, three pristine lakes, 10 championship golf courses, an IMAX Theater, year-round festivals and events, nearby mountains, and wilderness areas.

Other local attractions include Silver Dollar City and Marvel Cave, Celebration City, Dixie Stampede, White Water Branson, Showboat Branson Belle, The Shepherd of the Hills, Mickey Gilley, Yakov Smirnoff, Stone Hill Winery, Ride The Ducks, The Tracks and Splash Country/ Famous celebrities in Branson have included Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, Moe Bandy, Wayne Newton, Mel Tillis, Ray Stevens, Jim Stafford, Yakov Smirnoff, Boxcar Willie, Andy Williams, Bobby Vinton, Charlie Pride, Tony Orlando, and The Osmonds. In the spring of 2006, the surviving members of the original Bill Haley & His Comets began a long-term residency at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater.

Newly opened for the 2006 season, the Titanic Museum joins nearly a dozen other area museums. The Titanic Museum includes artifacts from the actual wreck. Also on display are models of the ship, a full-scale replica of the grand staircase and recreations of various rooms of the ship, in addition to eyewitness accounts of the events that occurred.

Another exceptional museum in Branson is the American Presidents Museum, one of only six similar museums in the nation, the American Presidents Museum showcases the lives and Presidency of those that have lead our nation. With 1000's of artifacts and dozens of exhibits, it's walk through American history. The American Presidents Museum is under the direction of the National Center for Presidential Studies, a private non-profit educational organization.

Branson Landing opened in the summer of 2006 on the Lake Taneycomo waterfront in downtown Branson. The $420 million lakefront project includes retail space with Bass Pro Shops and Hudson Belk as anchors in an outdoor shopping mall of 100+ stores and restaurants. "The Landing" as it is affectionately called also contains a boardwalk as well as a multi-million dollar fountain that performs hydrotechnic shows every 15 minutes. Also, every hour on the hour, the National Anthem is played. In addition the site also offers condominiums located above the retail space, and a Hilton hotel and convention center are currently under construction.

Developers are laying out plans for Pinnacle Peak to be located adjacent to Celebration City off of Highway 76. The $250 million dollar European-themed development is planned to open in 2009 and will contain year-around attractions including an indoor water park, aquarium and themed restaurants and shopping.

Branson, Missouri, continues to expand its accommodation options for visitors including multiple hotels and motels as well as nightly condominium rentals.