20th Annual RSA Historical Seminar NRA National Sporting Arms Museum Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO September 21 – 23, 2016 |
We will be holding the 20th Annual Historical Seminar at the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum located in the Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO on September 21 – 23, 2016. The Seminar will provide an opportunity to see the recently developed NRA National Sporting Arms Museum consisting of over 900 guns on display featuring a timeline of sporting arms from the 1600’s to the present day. Displays include Remington’s factory collection of prototypes, first production and one-of-a-kinds; The Hollywood collection of firearms used in several well-known movies; The Wild West Collection and Texas Ranger Collection among many others. Adjacent to the Firearms Museum is the Archery Hall of Fame and Museum considered to be the finest archery museum in the world. Seminar presentations and banquets will be held in Uncle Buck’s Conservatory, a room with a capacity for 90 people, close to the NRA Museum in the Bass Pro Shops.
In addition to the Sporting Arms Museum, Bass Pro Shops has renovated and expanded its Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium that includes an indoor ring road which is over a mile in length with waterfalls and ponds featuring exhibits modeled after the great nocturnal exhibit at The Henry Doorly Zoo and the Rain Forest Exhibit at The Dallas World Aquarium. Wonders of Wildlife will also include some new surprises not found in any of the major aquariums. Many world-class exhibits and displays are planned including several interactive displays that will heighten the visitors’ experience.
Branson, MO is located just 45 miles (45 minutes) south of Springfield is Branson, MO where live shows, attractions and outdoor activities such as world class amusement parks, rides at Silver Dollar City, White Water Park and Table Rock Lake, The Titanic Museum, The Hollywood Wax Museum and The Top of the Rock Golf Course can be enjoyed. You might want to add a few days prior to or after the Seminar to take in these activities in Branson.
We made arrangements with Residence Inn Marriott in Springfield, about 4 miles from the Bass Pro Shops, for a block of suites from Monday, September 19th to Saturday, September 25th. The block consists of 5 suites on the 19th, 10 king and 10 2-Queen suites from the 20th to the 24th and 5 suites on the 25th. The charge for the suites is $99/night plus tax and includes a buffet breakfast. To book your suite, use the link below:
Book your group rate for Remington Society of America RSA (Ctrl+Click to follow link)
Just fill in your dates of arrival and departure. The cut-off date for the block rates is 9/1/16 (September the 1st).
There are other motels/hotels in the area that are slightly less expensive and closer to Bass Pro. These include La Quinta Inn, about a mile south, at $91/night plus tax (417-890-6060) or Days Inn, right across the street from Bass Pro, also at $91/night plus tax (417-862-0153.
There are several airlines that fly into Springfield, MO. These include American, Delta, United, Allegiant Air and Charters Airlines. However, since there aren’t many direct flights from the big cities to Springfield, you may choose to fly to Kansas City, MO, rent a car and drive to Springfield (185 miles, 3 hour drive). The Springfield, MO Airport has seven different rental car companies.
Like last year, we are discouraging the setup of firearm displays at the seminar. The efforts to transport firearms, getting them through security at the Bass Pro Shops and the cost of maintaining security while in the building makes it increasing difficult. For those speakers at the seminar who wish to bring firearms that relate to their presentations, this can probably be done as long as you have an inventory list of the firearms and their serial numbers and you take them with you after your presentation at the end of the day. None of your firearms should remain in the building overnight as there will be no security posted at the room after hours.
If you have non-firearm items that you would like to display such as knives, ammo, reloading equipment, sights and scopes, books, posters and coins, please let us know in advance so we can provide an adequate number of tables for display purposes. You should make an inventory list of the items you are displaying and be prepared to take them with you at the end of the day.
The registration fee for the seminar will be TBD. To register, please send your check made out to “RSA” and mail it to:
Chip Kloos
RSA Seminar Coordinator
2 Lexington Ave.
Branchburg, NJ 08853
A preliminary agenda for the seminar is shown below:
Wednesday, September 21st
Prior to 5:00 pm Arrive at Uncle Bucks Conservatory, pick up registration material and set up displays if you have one prior to the banquet
- 5:30 Reception and drinks prior to the banquet
- 6:00 Banquet dinner:
- 6:45 Keynote Speaker: Jim Supica
- 7:30 Move to the NRA Sporting Arms Museum for a hands-on display of Remington firearms
Thursday, September 22nd
- 9:00 am Tour of the Bass Pro Shops
- 10:00 Opening comments and introductions in Uncle Bucks Conservatory
- 10:30 Stoney Roberts, Curator, NRA National Sporting Arms Museum – Development and Description of the Museum
- 11:30 Catered lunch
- 1:00 pm Sue Dyle, Teacher – Wonders of the Ozarks Learning Facility (WOLF School)
- 2:00 Presentation 3
- 3:00 Guided tour of the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum
- 5:00 Dinner on your own. We recommend the Hemmingway Café located in-house right above Uncle Bucks Conservatory and next to the Museum
Friday, September 23rd
- 10:00 am Presentation 4
- 11:00 Presentation 5
- 12:00 Catered lunch
- 1:00 pm Presentation 6
- 2:00 Presentation 7
- 3:00 Tour of the Wildlife Museum and Aquarium
- 5:00 Happy half-hour prior to the Closing Banquet
- 5:30 Closing Banquet in Uncle Bucks Conservatory
- 6:30 Auction and closing comments
To add more interest in our auction and to encourage members to enrich the selection of items being offered, we will offer two classes of items: those that are donated to the RSA for auction and those offered where the final “hammer” price will be divided into two parts: 50% will go the RSA and 50% will be returned to the donor. Hopefully, this will encourage members to bring more interesting items to the auctions and enable them to “sell” items they would like to retire or replace. Since about half the attendees will be flying, please consider the airlines’ limitations and restrictions. But, of course, most anything can be mailed home.
I look forward to seeing you at the Seminar,
Chip Kloos, Seminar Coordinator
