Bass Pro Shop Springfield Missouri: A FREE Road Trip Stop

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Looking for hours of free family fun in Springfield MO? Bass Pro Shops, “The Grandaddy” of all outdoor stores houses 500,000 square feet of homage to outdoor life. Bass Pro Shop Springfield Missouri is an indoor playground for outdoor lovers. Enjoy live animals, three free on-site museums plus a full service restaurant and the unforgettable decor the outdoor sports store is known for. Prepare to be wowed!

Hours of Free Family Fun at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield MO

As a family, we have always been fans of the Bass Pro Shops stores. The sign on the front entryway says “Welcome Fisherman, Hunters and Other Liars.” I can really get behind a store with a great sense of humor and a healthy appreciation for conservation and wildlife.

Every visit to Bass Pro Shops is like stepping into a free amusement park featuring the great outdoors. The company is well known for its eye-catching store displays, but I’ve never been to a store quite like the one in Springfield, MO.

What’s Special About the Bass Pro Shops Location in Springfield Missouri?

The store in Springfield is the official Bass Pro Shops headquarters, also known as “The Grandaddy” of all outdoor stores. Local Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops, grew up in nearby Willard Missouri.

An avid angler, he started selling fishing gear out of his father’s liquor store. These days Bass Pro Shops is one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the United States.

We usually all need to take a break after several hours on the road. My sportsman husband is a “go big or go home” kind of guy and his suggestion of visiting Bass Pro Shops in Springfield certainly fit that bill. It’s easily the biggest Bass Pro Shops we have ever seen and a great place to stop and wow the kids for free on a road trip. You are guaranteed to find something here that you don’t get to see every day. If you are visiting the Ozarks, it’s a must do.

Bass Pro Shops Springfield Missouri Headquarters

This location houses nearly 500,000 square feet of all of the outdoor gear you could ever want and amazement for kids. We heard “Whoa!” and “Look at that, Daddy!” as we walked into the lobby. There is a huge elk statue at the top of the stairs, surrounded by multiple dioramas, wildlife mounts and an aquarium (one of seven!).

Staples of Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World like White River Fly Shop and a giant boating showroom exist alongside museums and educational opportunities.

Everywhere you look there is something to point at and learn more about. This particular store boasts 4 million visitors per year and can be overwhelming on your first visit. There is so much to see!

Are There Live Animals At Bass Pro Shops?

We saw an alligator exhibit nearby and headed over to watch them. For a second, it looked as though they weren’t real because they didn’t move very much. Suddenly, the big one raced off of the rock and splashed into the water, drawing a crowd with the excitement.

After a short swim, the alligator got back on the rock with the others and was still again. We made our way nearby to the part of the store where the boats are sold. We stopped next to a mounted boar positioned at kid-level and took turns feeling its bristly, coarse fur. There are several mounted animals peppered throughout every section of the store to observe.

Free Family Fun in Springfield MO

There are a total of seven intricate aquariums in the store and also live turtles. There are live fish feedings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm in Uncle Buck’s Auditorium. Divers feed fish and give an educational talk on fish that are native to Missouri.

One of my very favorite things at the store? The ceiling near the aquarium is decorated to look like you are underwater. It’s so cool because when you look up you see the bottom of a small boat along with fish in the water, tree roots, moss – the whole works!

After we watched the fish in the aquarium we made our way down the walkway and found a polar bear! A grizzly was close by too.

What Can Adults Learn at Bass Pro Shops?

There are several more dioramas and mounts and two nice waterfalls along with something I was not expecting: three real-deal museums and a conservation exhibit.

The first museum we went through was the National Archery Hall of Fame, which houses more than 1,500 display items.

It was a nice surprise to see such a prized artifact encased in glass: a handmade bow created by Native American Apache leader Geronimo.

The second museum was the National Rifle Association Sporting Arms museum which displays the evolution of hunting arms from colonial times to present day in America. The spindles in the long staircase leading up to the door of the museum were rifles! One particular item of note on display: Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting rifle.

The third museum is the family-friendly Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium. Containing 1.5 million gallons of water, there are over 35,000 species.

What Else Can You Find at Bass Pro Shops?

If you are hungry, the store houses a full-service restaurant, Hemingway’s Blue Water Cafe, a snack bar and also a coffee shop. Outdoor seating is available at several locations.

There are also archery and shooting ranges, a banquet space for events and a 50,000 square foot education center. Not to mention all of the great photo opps!

The signature fireplace is in the front lobby with comfortable chairs if you need a little down time before leaving. There are also bathrooms near the lobby. The trim in the ladies room along the sink was lined with shotgun shells, a fun detail one might expect from Bass Pro Shops.

What Should Parents Watch For at Bass Pro Shops?

It’s obviously still a place of business, and they sell a lot of adorable items for kids.  You might want to set some grounds rules on that before you head into the store if your aim is to keep the stop free. If that’s not a concern, there is a ton of fun stuff to choose from!

We did not buy souvenirs but had I known there was a restaurant on site before we arrived, I would have made this our lunch stop. We will definitely plan for that the next time we come through Springfield on our usual road trip.

So if you’re looking for a huge, free venue packed with a ton of pleasing things to see and learn about, The Grandaddy of all outdoor retail stores might be the perfect stop for you too!

Bass Pro Shops 1935 S Campbell Ave. Springfield, MO 65807

Daily hours may vary due to COVID-19. Currently open until 9pm nightly.