Miller County Historical Society & Museum

The Miller County Museum includes 12,000 square feet of local history. Artifacts are housed in reproductions of a barber shop, general store, chapel, doctor's office, schoolhouse, and dog trot cabin. Musical instruments and Miller County musicians, including Lee Mace, are featured both in an exhibit and in a large collection of audio files. The James Earl Thompson Audio-Visual Center also includes thousands of photographs, including 500 time-order photographs of the construction of Bagnell Dam. A pilot wheel and other artifacts recall Tuscumbia as a steamboat port on the Osage River. Bridges, railroads, agriculture, mining, and the early history of the Lake of the Ozarks are on the lower level, along with a large meeting room and kitchen with serving counter. Schools, organizations, and families plan events and reunions at the Museum throughout the year. Researchers interested in county history or family genealogy are welcome to use the reference center with online computers and hundreds of donated local family histories. The best day for help with research is Monday. Books about area history are available in the Gift Shop.

Military history and veterans are remembered both outside and inside the Museum. On the grounds visitors can step into the log cabin built by Peter Lupardus in the 1860's or view a slave cabin where Esther Williams lived before the Civil War.

The museum is kid-friendly and scavenger hunts are available at the entrance.

A video tour of the Museum is available on the Miller County Historical Society Facebook page, along with hundreds of posts sharing the stories that make Miller County history unique. The Miller County Historical Society web site features thousands of searchable articles and documents, including obituaries, marriages, and family histories.

Admission: No charge, but donations are gratefully appreciated.

Directions: Old Anchor Mill Building in Tuscumbia, West Hwy 52
Hours of Operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10 am to 4 pm
Season: Mid May - Mid October