Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Galleries. Photo by Think Dero/Dero Sanford

Use this guide to plan a family holiday trip to the museum this season

Wondering how to entertain the family this holiday season? Consider taking a trip to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays) and general admission is always free. We’ve got the inside scoop on everything the museum has to offer this season. Use this guide to plan a family day or weekend trip to Crystal Bridges.

10-11 a.m.: Take a walk through “Architecture at Home”
Start a Crystal Bridges visit by parking at the lot off J St. and taking a walk down to the museum entrance via the Orchard Trail. Along the path, discover five prototypes for contemporary homes as well as R. Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome. Visitors can enter each structure and learn more about the building, research and design of each. It is free to view.

Advertisement

11 a.m.-noon: Have lunch in Eleven
Stopping for lunch in the museum’s restaurant, Eleven, is an experience within itself. Located on one of the bridges, visitors can enjoy floor-to-ceiling views of Ozark nature under Jeff Koons’ “Hanging Heart.” Their lunch menu includes original takes on southern food such as a creamy collard melt, crispy catfish sandwich, and pork and grits. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Advertisement

12:30-2 p.m.: Tour “Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour”
Crystal Bridges’ current exhibition is all about American fashion! From dresses worn by first ladies to art-inspired garments to iconic fashion moments that defined a generation, “Fashioning America” offers a dynamic interaction between video, imagery and over 100 garments and accessories selected from across two centuries of fashion. Open now through Jan. 30, 2023. Get tickets here.

2-5 p.m.: Explore the galleries or grounds
Take a walk around the collection galleries, which are free to view all year round. Currently, the museum features a mix of gallery spaces and free, focus exhibitions including “We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy,” an exhibition featuring a rare, original print of the U.S. Constitution in conversation with American art. Visitors can also pick up a seasonal treat or a favorite coffee drink from the Coffee Bar and hit the trails for a gorgeous autumn walk. Find dozens of sculptures along the trails to enjoy art within nature or take a break by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House.

Advertisement

Pulse Forest, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Photo by Novo Studios

5:30 p.m.: Experience Listening Forest after dark
“Listening Forest,” created by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, uses light, sound, and projections to create an interactive, nighttime walk through the woods. This site-specific exhibition brings together eight immersive installations, each one activated by guest participation. Visitors can add their heartbeat to a field of 3,000 light bulbs, control giant, 20-foot-tall stick figures made of light, and more! Open now through Jan. 1, 2023. Get tickets here.

Advertisement

Visit CrystalBridges.org to learn about these programs and more.

Comments are disabled for this post.