The Arkansas Times cover story tomorrow is about philanthropy, and the biggest story this year is, of course, the $1.2 billion endowment from the Walton Family Foundation to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. In addition to that chunk of change is $20 million from Walmart to make admission free and $10 million from the Willard and Pat Walker Family Charitable Foundation to pay for school children and their teachers to travel to the museum.

Thursday the museum will announce the details of yet another gift: $1 million from Jack and Melba Shewmaker family of Bentonville to support “hands-on” educational programs.

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Others who have made gifts to the museum include Jim and Joyce Faulkner of Little Rock and Reed and Mary Ann Greenwood of Fayetteville, who helped sponsor the Wonder World exhibit of contemporary art at the museum.

At last count, new media handler Laura Jacobs said, some 30,000 people have been through the museum.

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