Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has welcomed over six million visitors with free general admission since it opened in 2011. Philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton brought to life her vision to provide access to a diverse collection of masterworks from early American to contemporary times, and a revolving roster of traveling exhibitions.

Connected to the downtown square by the Art Trail, the museum is named for the nearby Crystal Spring and the bridge-based construction of the building, designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. Five miles of trails wind through the museum grounds, providing access to creek-fed ponds, sculpture gardens, outdoor art installations and the BachmanWilson House – a rare Frank Lloyd Wright designed home.

Nestled in a wooded valley, the stunning architectural structure that is the museum itself houses Eleven, a gourmet restaurant, the museum store, and a permanent collection of American art that includes iconic works such as Rosie the Riveter by Norman Rockwell, Our Town by Kerry James Marshall, Dolly Parton by Andy Warhol and Kindred Spirits by Asher B. Durand. Major temporary exhibitions for 2023 include: Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour, Diego Rivera’s America,

Architecture at Home, Listening Forest, and more to be announced (visit crystalbridges.org for exhibition dates).

Trails throughout the museum’s 120-acre setting take guests past Ozark landscapes, natural springs and art installations such as James Turrell’s Skyspace: The Way of Color, a domed-ceiling structure that gives colorand-light enhanced sky views at sunrise and sunset. Crystal Bridges’ satellite contemporary art space, the Momentary, opened in 2020 featuring visual, performance and culinary art, artist-inresidence programs, music festivals and more. See more on page 20.

In 2022, Crystal Bridges began a major expansion adding nearly 100,000