The magnificent Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville celebrates artists and artworks of national significance in its sleek and modern galleries. You’ll be treated to a masterpiece in contemporary architecture as you explore the museum complex. See American artworks ranging from colonial times to the modern day, wander around the sculpture garden or discover the museum’s surrounding nature trails.
Officially opening on Nov. 11, 2011, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art was founded by philanthropist Alice Walton, the daughter of the founder of Walmart. Enter the museum’s main lobby and make your way through a series of glass-and-timber pavilions, admiring the architecture of Moshe Safdie. The world-renowned architect incorporated the museum’s main pavilions into glimmering glass-paneled bridges over the complex’s ponds as a reference to the museum’s name.
Make your way through the main gallery. You’ll see a portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale, as well as notable works by Asher Durand, George Bellows and Norman Rockwell. See 20th-century masterpieces by Chuck Close, Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Check out the museum’s rotating selection of temporary exhibitions, as well as touring exhibits, some of which have traveled from the Louvre in Paris.
As you wander from pavilion to pavilion, enjoy quiet moments outdoors looking out over the still pools of the spring-fed ponds, such as at the Walker Landing plaza. Order lunch at Eleven, the museum’s restaurant, and peruse the items for sale in the Museum Store, designed by Marlon Blackwell. The museum’s library contains more than 50,000 volumes of art books and documents.
Take a stroll along the museum’s pretty pathways, which lead through the sculpture garden and the 120-acre (48.5-hectare) grounds.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is located a 20-minute walk through the spacious museum grounds northeast of downtown Bentonville. The museum is free to enter and drop-in workshops and lectures are available for children and adults. Some programmed events and exhibitions may have an admission fee. The museum is closed on Tuesdays, as well as Christmas and Thanksgiving.
