North Forest Lights is back for a second season in Crystal Bridges’ North Forest! Montreal-based multimedia and entertainment studio Moment Factory created and produced North Forest Lights exclusively for Crystal Bridges using the environment of the museum’s surrounding forest to come up with five light and sound installations that bring the soul of the forest to life. 

To plan your trip, here’s what you can expect during Season 2 of the North Forest Lights experience, open now:

Your journey begins at the additional parking lot

We’re asking that all guests attending North Forest Lights park at the additional parking lot at the top of the hill (across the street from the Amazeum). From there, guests can cross the street and check in at the North Forest Lights kiosk (pictured above). This kiosk will be the command center where tickets will be scanned and accessibility needs can be handled (keep scrolling for accessibility info). This kiosk will also serve as the lost and found destination for items or members of your party should you get separated.

North Forest Lights will be open in the evening hours after sunset, and times will vary depending on the twilight hour each day. When you purchase your ticket, you will note the 15-minute window in which you’d like to attend. Departure times are broken out every 15 minutes to regulate the flow of traffic in the experience.

You will then make your way down the path into the North Forest. Once you hit the Deer sculpture by Tony Tasset, turn right, and you’ve made it to North Forest Lights!

A few other tips:

• This is a nighttime, outdoor event, so please check the weather before you go and dress accordingly.
• Well-behaved dogs on a leash are allowed in North Forest Lights.
• No outside food and drinks will be allowed inside, but guests are welcome to enjoy the seasonal snacks and drinks available at The Village (keep scrolling to learn more!). 

New safety measures are in place

Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

To ensure a safe and stress-free experience for all visitors, new COVID-19 safety measures have been put in place throughout North Forest Lights.

• To comply with the state of Arkansas mandate, staff and visitors ages 10 and older are required to wear face coverings except when eating or drinking. Masks are available upon entry for those who do not have one.
• Following the most recent recommendations from the CDC, face shields and face coverings with exhaust valves or vents are not allowed.
• North Forest Lights will be operating at a one-third capacity to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
• Sanitation stations, touchless ticket scanning for purchases, and new paths and queuing systems will further support social distancing.
• Face coverings must be worn when speaking into The Whispering Tree microphone.
• Visitors are encouraged to stay in their cars prior to start time to avoid gathering at the entrance kiosk.

Per Arkansas Department of Health guidelines, you should not enter if you have experienced fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or a recent loss of taste or smell, or if you have had known exposure to someone with COVID-19 within 14 days leading up to your visit.

Grab a seasonal beverage and snack at The Village

North Forest Lights, 2019. Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

In addition to the five, unique installations that make up North Forest Lights, there is a special area called The Village (located in the food truck area) where guests will have the opportunity to purchase drinks (hot cocoa, coffee, wine, beer, etc.), snacks (hot dogs, cronuts, roasted pecans, loaded fries, etc.), and spice up your hot chocolate with Irish cream, salted caramel or peppermint schnapps. Branded merchandise is also available, including glow gear!

Enhance your experience with a culinary basket…

You may also be interested in purchasing a culinary basket to enhance your North Forest Lights experience! 

No matter if you’re coming to North Forest Lights with your family, friends, or a special date, culinary baskets are available to make your night truly unforgettable. Treat your date to a romantic Heart of the Forest package with a bottle of wine, chocolates, and more, or enjoy a Campfire package, which includes a bottle of sparkling cider, cookies, brownies, apples, and more, perfect to share with your friends or the kids.

Baskets will be available for purchase online when you buy your ticket. Baskets must be ordered 24 hours in advance of your ticket time.

…Or a North Forest Snow Globe Experience

Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

Set in the middle of North Forest Lights next to Dale Chihuly’s Sole d’Oro sculpture, the North Forest Snow Globe Experience includes three hours inside a cozy, see-through snow globe dome with lights, music, and faux fur blankets, specialty cocktails, bites, and a snow globe concierge. Tickets also include entry to North Forest Lights and a shuttle pick-up to bring you to your snow globe upon arrival. 

This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the holidays in a safe, socially distanced environment. Snow globes are sure to book up quickly, so don’t miss your chance to experience a unique special occasion under the stars immersed in North Forest Lights!

Snap a North Forest Lights photo in the forest

North Forest Lights at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Courtesy of Moment Factory.

Located near the Memory of Water installation, guests can also snap a North Forest Lights photo in the designated photo station. The area will be decorated with lights to make the area a perfect place to snap memorable selfies or holiday photos. 

Be prepared for lots of walking. Accessibility assistance will be available.

North Forest Lights at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Courtesy of Moment Factory.

There will be about 1.5 miles of walking in total, including the walk to and from the additional parking lot. We understand that this might be a lot for some family members, so we will have assistance available. Wheelchairs will be available for guests to check out at the North Forest Lights entrance, and a mobility shuttle will be offered to transport folks with accessibility needs by request from the parking lot to the entrance of North Forest Lights where they can meet back up with their party. 

The trails created for this experience are wheelchair and stroller-accessible. Depending on the age and abilities of your group, you may also choose to bring strollers or wagons.

Enjoy Crystal Bridges sculptures at night

Dale Chihuly, Sole d’Oro, 2017, blown glass and steel, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. North Forest Lights, 2019. Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

There are several sculptures from the Crystal Bridges collection found in the North Forest including Tempest by Brian Tolle, Flowers That Bloom Now by Yayoi Kusama, and Sole d’Oro by Dale Chihuly (pictured above). When you enter North Forest Lights, you’ll be able to admire these sculptures illuminated in a new light after dark!

Experience North Forest Lights in all four seasons

North Forest Lights, 2019. Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

This year, North Forest Lights will be open from September 4, 2020 to April 4, 2021, meaning you can experience it in every season. The changing leaves create new experiences to see the forest illuminated in the lights and add a new element to North Forest Lights in each season.

North Forest Lights opens September 4, 2020. For more FAQs and tickets, visit the North Forest Lights page.