Herschend Family Entertainment is the largest family-owned themed attractions company in the United States, tracing its roots to 1950 when Hugo and Mary Herschend leased Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri. To entertain visitors waiting for cave tours, the family built a small 1880s-style village on the grounds that grew into Silver Dollar City, the foundation of what would become a nationwide entertainment empire.
Now headquartered in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, Herschend has expanded far beyond its Ozark Mountain roots. Its portfolio includes co-ownership of Dollywood with Dolly Parton, multiple aquariums, dinner theaters, and, following its 2025 acquisition of Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions, historic parks like Kennywood, Lake Compounce, and Dutch Wonderland.
Stats at a Glance
- Headquarters: Peachtree Corners, Georgia
- Founded: 1950
- Founders: Hugo and Mary Herschend
- CEO: Andrew Wexler
- Properties operated: About 49
- Employees: About 22,000
- Annual guests: Nearly 20 million
- Flagship park: Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri
From a Cave Tour to a Theme Park Empire
After Hugo Herschend’s death in 1955, his widow Mary and their sons Jack and Pete took over the Marvel Cave operation and grew the surrounding village into Silver Dollar City, which opened in 1960. The company, originally called Herschend Enterprises and later Silver Dollar City Inc., took the Herschend Family Entertainment name in 2003.
A major turning point came in 1986, when the Herschends partnered with country music star Dolly Parton to rebrand their Tennessee park as Dollywood, launching one of the amusement industry’s most enduring family-owned partnerships.
A Growing National Portfolio
Herschend has steadily diversified into water parks, aquariums (including the Vancouver Aquarium, acquired in 2021), dinner theaters, and even sports entertainment through its ownership stake in the Harlem Globetrotters.
In 2025, Herschend completed its acquisition of Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions from Parques Reunidos, adding more than 20 parks, water parks, and family entertainment centers across 10 states and pushing its total footprint to roughly 49 properties nationwide.
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Herschend Family Entertainment FAQs
What was Herschend Family Entertainment’s first attraction?
The company’s roots trace to Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri, which Hugo and Mary Herschend began leasing in 1950. The village built to entertain cave visitors grew into Silver Dollar City.
Does Herschend own Dollywood?
Herschend co-owns Dollywood in a long-running partnership with Dolly Parton, dating back to 1986 when the park was renamed in her honor.
How many parks does Herschend operate today?
Following its 2025 acquisition of Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions, Herschend operates about 49 properties across the country, including Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Kennywood, and Dutch Wonderland.
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