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Guests viewing artwork in a salon hang.
Lafayette, Morse, and the March of Progress
Black and white 19th-century portrait of an older man with white hair in an oval frame.

Lafayette, Morse, and the March of Progress

Art & Collection

Today is the birthday of American artist and inventor Samuel F.B. Morse. In recognition, Crystal Bridges’ Interpretation Manager Aaron Jones spools out a fascinating and complex yarn of  art, technology,…

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A Bloom by Any Other Name…Cultivars at Crystal Bridges
Pink dogwood flowers on a tree branch with green leaves against a blue sky

A Bloom by Any Other Name…Cultivars at Crystal Bridges

Nature & Outdoor

Crystal Bridges’ breathtaking landscape features a wonderful balance of natural forest and well-groomed beds of showy specimen plantings. Altogether, the Museum grounds are host to a total of 460 species…

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The Bachman-Wilson House: Arrival in Arkansas
People in warehouse observe loading of J.B. Hunt trailer, metal beams and natural light visible.

The Bachman-Wilson House: Arrival in Arkansas

Architecture
On Tuesday afternoon, April 22, two trucks arrived at a storage facility in Northwest Arkansas, transporting with them the structural contents of a 1954 Usonian house designed by renowned architect…
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James Turrell and Josef Albers: Color Theory at Work in the Skyspace
Blue square centered on orange background.

James Turrell and Josef Albers: Color Theory at Work in the Skyspace

Architecture At the Museum
“Red,” “green,” “blue,” and “yellow” are like points on a compass. We describe our visual perception using these words, but when do we truly see what they represent? We always…
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The Bachman-Wilson House: On the Road
White semi-truck with J.B. Hunt trailer parked, clear sky, trees in background.

The Bachman-Wilson House: On the Road

Architecture
One container holding fragile components—doors, fixtures, and furniture—will be shipped to Northwest Arkansas by truck. The other container will be traveling via intermodal transportation—a fast and secure shipping method which…
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The Bachman-Wilson House: Selecting the Site
Landscape architectural plan with a pond, pathways, trees, and outlined building.

The Bachman-Wilson House: Selecting the Site

Architecture Nature & Outdoor
Crystal Bridges recently acquired the Bachman-Wilson House, a 1954 Usonian House designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. After repeat flooding at the structure’s original site next to the Millstone River…
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Crystal Bridges Receives Award for Conservation
Statue of horseback rider playing guitar on wooden pedestal amid trees and greenery.

Crystal Bridges Receives Award for Conservation

Art & Collection Nature & Outdoor

A few weeks ago the Arkansas Museums Association hosted it’s annual meeting in North Little Rock. The meeting is a wonderful two and half days of sessions and events that…

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After the Last Supper: Casting Some Light on Light-Sensitive Works
Intricate, pixelated multi-panel art installation in gallery corner under overhead lights.

After the Last Supper: Casting Some Light on Light-Sensitive Works

Art & Collection Nature & Outdoor
"Where is After the Last Supper?" Guests who visited Crystal Bridges in the first few months after our opening in November, 2011, will likely remember the large, dramatic work by…
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Exploring Architecture: What’s Up with the Roofs?
Construction site with curved wooden ceiling, blue lift, tools, and glass windows in background.

Exploring Architecture: What’s Up with the Roofs?

Architecture

Finally, there is the roof on top of the Museum Store, where there is no copper to be seen. The top of the Store is simple and unobtrusive when compared…

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Museum Grounds Crew Struggles to Contain Piranha Infestation in Crystal Bridges’ Upper Pond
Piranha with silvery scales and orange tint swimming in underwater environment with rocks.

Museum Grounds Crew Struggles to Contain Piranha Infestation in Crystal Bridges’ Upper Pond

Nature & Outdoor

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art resides on 120 acres of Ozark forest. The building itself is nestled in the base of ravine with water from the Crystal Springs weaving…

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Striking Results of Chemical Analysis Reveal that Pigment used in Macdonald-Wright Painting Derived Entirely from Skittles
An assortment of colorful candies in red, orange, yellow, green, and purple filling the frame.

Striking Results of Chemical Analysis Reveal that Pigment used in Macdonald-Wright Painting Derived Entirely from Skittles

Art & Collection Nature & Outdoor

Several months ago, when a team of conservators were assessing the condition of works in the Crystal Bridges permanent collection, they noticed something strange. The pigment in Stanton Macdonald-Wright’s painting…

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The Portfolios of Frank Lloyd Wright
Detailed architectural sketch of a colorful dining room interior design with geometric patterns.

The Portfolios of Frank Lloyd Wright

Architecture Library Volunteer Spotlight

Today’s post is brought to you by guest blogger Kirk Dandridge, Jr., MD.  Kirk is a retired surgeon and a current architecture buff and volunteer in Crystal Bridges’ Library.  In…

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Tricking the Eye with Deborah Butterfield
Deborah Butterfield's sculpture Redstick, part clearly visible, question about material composition.

Tricking the Eye with Deborah Butterfield

Art & Collection

Once the firing is complete and the shell has cooled, it is cleaned out. Even coats of microcrystalline wax are heated and poured into the shell as it is slowly…

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Significant Careers of Determined Artists: Janet Sobel
Janet Sobel or Jackson Pollock.

Significant Careers of Determined Artists: Janet Sobel

Art & Collection
“Sobel clearly had a moment and really broke through in ways that other artists hadn’t yet done,” said Don Bacigalupi, Crystal Bridges’ President.  “Pollock gets all the glory, and Pollock…
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Albert Pinkham Ryder
Sailboat silhouette against a moonlit sky and dimly lit sea.

Albert Pinkham Ryder

Art & Collection
Crystal Bridges is fortunate to possess a stable work produced by this great American painter.  Located within the Nineteenth-Century Art Gallery, Ryder’s Misty Moonlight is a rare work in regard…
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The Bachman-Wilson House: What is a Usonian House?
Modern house with flat roof, vertical wood panels, lush greenery, lawn, and entrance steps.

The Bachman-Wilson House: What is a Usonian House?

Architecture

The recently acquired Bachman-Wilson House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is a classic example of what Wright called a “Usonian House.”  The word Usonian was coined by James Duff Law,…

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The European Connection: Part 3
Abstract painting with two overlapping stylized faces in earthy tones on a textured background.

The European Connection: Part 3

Art & Collection Exhibitions

This is the third in a series of posts related to The European Connection, an exhibition of American modern artists from Crystal Bridges’ collection that will be on view concurrently with…

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Exploring Architecture: Four Amazing Facts about Crystal Bridges’ Building Materials
Wood-banded concrete wall for a uniform perspective.

Exploring Architecture: Four Amazing Facts about Crystal Bridges’ Building Materials

Architecture

Constructed between 2006 and 2011, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a truly amazing structure. The 200,000 square foot Museum sits at the base of a ravine with water…

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So Cold it Burns...
Plant with spiky, serrated green-brown leaves and a snowy background.

So Cold it Burns...

Nature & Outdoor
You may ask “How does winter burn work?” Evergreens continue to loose water vapor through their leaves, even during the winter. The tree or shrub has to replace the moisture…
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The European Connection: Part 2
Colorful landscape of red and purple buildings among green hills, with water and a waterfall.

The European Connection: Part 2

Art & Collection Exhibitions

This is the second in a series of posts related to The European Connection, an exhibition of American modern artists from Crystal Bridges’ collection that will be on view concurrently…

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