Regional museums offer something for everyone
Northwest Arkansas enjoys museums that collect and interpret art, history, politics, retail and more. Here are some of them:
Bella Vista
Bella Vista Historical Museum
The Bella Vista Historical Museum, operated by the Bella Vista Historical Society with an all-volunteer staff, features exhibits representing the past 103 years of Bella Vista history from the time Lake Bella Vista was created in 1915. The museum’s gift shop is the only location in Bella Vista offering a variety of Bella Vista souvenir items from postcards to jigsaw puzzles.
WHEN — 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday
WHERE — 1885 Bella Vista Way, next door to the American Legion
COST — Free
INFO — 855-2335; bellavistamuseum.org
MEMBERSHIP — Individual $15/year, family $25/year, corporate $50/year.
CURRENT EXHIBIT — “Outside the Pale,” the architecture of Fay Jones, through December.
Bentonville
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened to the public on 11-11-11 and was founded in 2005 by the Walton Family Foundation as a nonprofit charitable organization for all to enjoy.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday & Sunday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; closed Tuesday
WHERE — 600 Museum Way
COST — Admission to the permanent collection is always free
INFO — 418-5700; crystalbridges.org
CURRENT EXHIBIT — “Amy Sherald,” a free, focus exhibition featuring a selection of paintings by Sherald, a Baltimore-based artist who creates portraits of everyday African Americans she meets during the course of her day: on the street, in the grocery store, on the bus. Sherald gained public attention in early 2018 when her portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama was revealed at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Through Dec. 31.
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Museum of Native American History
The Museum of Native American History invites visitors to walk through America’s past. From the woolly mammoth skeleton that greets guests at the front door, to rare Mississippian head pots, to art and artifacts from the early reservation period, the museum’s authentic collection gives a glimpse into the richly diverse cultural history of the first Americans.
WHEN — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
WHERE — 202 S.W. O St.
COST — Free
INFO — 273-2456; monah.us
CURRENT EXHIBIT — Five new acquisitions: An Ojibwe wolf war club, circa 1820, from Minnesota; a Ghost Dance shirt, circa late 1800s, likely Arapaho; a Plains trade blanket coat, circa late 1800s, a unique garment cut from a trade blanket and tailored in the manner of an overcoat; an 18th century eastern Woodlands human effigy pipe carved from maple wood; and a Ute painting, circa 1903, attributed to Louis Fenno, known as the greatest of Ute artists and created with pencil, ink, and watercolors on muslin.
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Peel Mansion Museum & Heritage Gardens
The Peel Mansion serves as a living display of the Victorian period and tells the story of a prominent early Bentonville family. Their vision is to inspire the community to explore and appreciate the story of this early Bentonville historic mansion.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday for the museum and gift shop; 7 a.m.-4 p.m. for the grounds
WHERE — 400 S. Walton Blvd.
COST — $2 children; $5 adults
INFO — 254-3870; peelcompton.org
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Walmart Museum
Located on the downtown square in Bentonville, the museum features Walton’s 5&10, a world-class exhibit gallery and The Spark Cafe Soda Fountain.
WHEN — 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday
WHERE — 105 N. Main St.
COST — Free
INFO — 273-1329; WmtMuseum@Walmart.com
BONUS — The Spark Cafe Soda Fountain serves Spark Cream, custom-made ice cream in Walmart colors of blue and yellow.
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Scott Family Amazeum
The Scott Family Amazeum is a hands-on, interactive museum for children and families.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday; closed Tuesdays
WHERE — 1009 Museum Way
COST — $9.50 all ages
INFO — 696-9280; amazeum.org
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Rogers
Rogers Historical Museum
Northwest Arkansas history museum with children’s area and 1895 Hawkins house, the museum is in the middle of a renovation and relocation that will add both gallery and educational space.
WHEN — Closed to add new gallery space
WHERE — 322 S. Second St.
COST — Free
INFO — 621-1154
BONUS — “While we are closed our community exhibits at the Adult Wellness Center, Rogers Public Library, Center for Nonprofits, and the Promenade Mall will remain open to the public and will be rotated every three months as usual,” says Assistant Director Terrilyn Wendling. “Our educators will continue to go to the classrooms across Northwest Arkansas teaching students; and we will gladly give talks to any community group that is interested. The research library, in the Key Wing, will be available upon request and availability will depend on our construction schedule.”
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Daisy Airgun Museum
The Daisy Airgun Museum is a nonprofit corporation which preserves and promotes vintage products and artifacts of the historic Daisy company while serving as a national tourism destination for Daisy fans and collectors.
WHEN — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
WHERE — 202 W. Walnut St.
COST — $2 for ages 16 and older
INFO — 986-6873; daisymuseum.com
MEMBERSHIP — The museum depends on Friends of the Daisy Airgun Museum for “guidance, suggestions and financial support.” Members get first chances at special merchandise.
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Springdale
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History is a regional history museum focusing on the Northwest Arkansas Ozarks. The museum takes its name from the pioneer community of Shiloh, which became Springdale in the 1870s.
Most of what you’ll see at the museum highlights the real shapers of Ozark history — the everyday men, women, and children who lived in our towns and rural communities. Along with exhibits, you can explore six historic buildings on the museum grounds. We also have a research library with a collection of over 500,000 photographs of Ozark life.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
WHERE — 118 W. Johnson Ave.
COST — Free
INFO — 750-8165 or shilohmuseum.org
CURRENT EXHIBITS — “Selected,” items chosen by guest curators to celebrate the museum’s 50th birthday; and “Fifty From Fifty,” 50 objects, one from each year between 1968 and 2018.
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Fayetteville
Arkansas Air & Military Museum
Follow the colorful history of aviation in Arkansas and American military conflicts through numerous displays of original artifacts and aviation memorabilia. The historic aircraft in the Arkansas Air & Military Museum are unusual among museum exhibits, because many of them still fly. Static displays at the museum range from the golden age of aviation to the jet age, including Vietnam-era Army helicopters and a Navy carrier fighter.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday-Friday
WHERE — 4290 S. School Ave.
COST — $5 ages 6-12; $9 seniors & military; $10 adults
INFO — 521-4947; arkansasairandmilitary.com
BONUS — The vast, all-wood white hangar, which houses the museum, was headquarters for one of the United States’ many aviator training posts during World War II.
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Clinton House Museum
The Clinton House Museum and its collections interpret the lives of President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton during the time they lived in Fayetteville and occupied the home at 930 W. Clinton Drive. With its range of programs, exhibits and special events, the museum promotes the legacy of the Clintons’ commitment to public service and civic engagement for international, national and local visitors as well as preserves the historic home and its role in Fayetteville, Ark. history.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday; closed Wednesdays
WHERE — 930 W. Clinton Drive
COST — Donations welcome
INFO — 444-0066 or clintonhousemuseum.org
BONUS — The museum is part of the “Billgrimage,” an Arkansas passport featuring the four Clinton cities, Hope, Hot Springs, Little Rock and Fayetteville. The passport has information about Clinton sight seeing opportunities in these cities. At each of the four locations you will get your passport stamped with a unique stamp representing that site.
Courtesy Image
“I cannot escape my love for pop art. I never could. It’s part of my DNA,” says California artist Todd Gray. “I was born in the same year that pop art (as fine art) came into the spotlight of the world, and their images have had profound effects on my life and my art.” A collection of his work titled “Pop Geometry” is on show through Dec. 2 at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum.
Courtesy Image
This 18th century eastern Woodlands human effigy pipe is carved from maple wood and depicts a reclining man with a slightly opened mouth and protruding tongue, which is thought to indicate speaking or singing. Imitation wampum made from glass beads is strung across his shoulder, and the lead inlay at the top of his head probably represents the cloth turban headdress adopted by many eastern Native Americans during that time. Wooden pipes are extremely fragile compared to their durable stone counterparts, and very few pipes fashioned from wood during this time period have remained intact. This one is new to the permanent collection at the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville.
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Headquarters House
During the Civil War this home, then belonging to Jonas March Tebbetts, was the headquarters for both the Union and Confederate armies. Today it is the headquarters for the Washington County Historical Society.
WHEN — Individual tours of Headquarters House and its grounds are available during office hours, 1-4 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday
WHERE — 118 E. Dickson St.
COST — Free
INFO — 521-2970; washcohistoricalsociety.org
BONUS — Arrange for a tour of the home by calling 521-2970.
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Fort Smith
Clayton House
The Clayton House is an historic house museum in Fort Smith’s Belle Grove Historic District. It is the former home of William Henry Harrison Clayton, federal prosecutor in Judge Parker’s famed court, and his family. The house was saved from the wrecking ball in 1969 and after a seven-year restoration project, was returned to its Victorian grandeur. The home is furnished with period antiques and a few of the Clayton Family’s prized possessions. The Clayton House serves as a living history book of Fort Smith’s Victorian past.
WHEN — Noon-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 1-4 p.m. Sunday; other times by appointment
WHERE — 514 N. Sixth St.
COST — $3 students; $5 seniors; $6 adults
INFO — 783-3000; claytonhouse.org
BONUS — The Clayton House is an anchor of the Belle Grove Historic District, 22 blocks listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
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Fort Smith Museum of History
The mission of the Fort Smith Museum of History is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of Fort Smith and the surrounding region. The museum was established in 1910.
WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; open 1-5 p.m. Sunday June-August
WHERE — 320 Rogers Ave.
COST — $2 children; $5 military; $7 adults
INFO — 783-7841; fortsmithmuseum.org
BONUS — Established in 1910, the museum is housed in the 1906 Atkinson-Williams Warehouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Fort Smith Regional Art Museum
The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum is a nonprofit organization charged with the responsibility of fostering art appreciation in the community through diverse exhibitions, educational programming, dynamic events, and cultural partnerships.
WHEN — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday; closed Mondays
WHERE — 1601 Rogers Ave.
COST — General admission is always free
INFO — 784-2787; fsram.org
CURRENT EXHIBITS — “Todd Gray: Pop Geometry,” through Nov. 18; and “Modern Master David Hayes: The Ventana Series,” through Jan. 27.
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Please send additions to this list to bmartin@nwadg.com.
