A world-class collection of American art, stunning architecture, and 120 acres of Ozark forest with five miles of trails. Admission to the museum is always free.
Planning a visit to Crystal Bridges? Use this page to learn about hours, parking, and what to expect while you’re here.
We have something for all types of learners. From educator resources to family activities to scholars, find what speaks to you and engage with us.
There’s more to the museum than just the galleries— come enjoy hands-on creative fun with art classes for all ages and experience levels..
Find opportunities to give and keep art accessible to all, become a member, or join our team.
Crystal Bridges members receive year-round perks, invitations to member-only events, travel opportunities, and more!
Museum & Buildings
Trails and Grounds open daily sunrise to sunset.
We will be closed Monday, May 13, to prepare for the visit of Antiques Roadshow. We will return to normal hours of operation Wednesday, May 15.
2016
Displayed in six cases in the Museum’s Great Hall Corridor, Building Crystal Bridges explore the surprising stories behind the conception, design, and construction of this unique museum. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey along the four-year construction timeline with aerial images and photos taken from cranes. It explores engineering challenges, such as coaxing Town Branch Creek through weirs to form the Museum ponds, developing the custom-shaped beams and intricate cable system that support some of the Museum’s distinctive roofs, and the painstaking process of forming architectural-quality concrete structures, then hand polishing each one to a gleaming finish. Building Crystal Bridges tells the story of a museum embedded in an engaged and growing community in the Arkansas Ozarks—a place to experience art, architecture, and lifelong learning in an inspiring natural setting.
