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..
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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.
Join us for an evening of drawing the human form with a twist, led by artist Melissa Wilkinson. We’ll learn, drink, unwind, and create an evening of relaxed, creative fun. No experience? Not a problem! Whether you’re a doodler or Da Vinci, all skill levels are welcome and encouraged to attend. All drawing materials will be provided, though we encourage you to bring your own sketchbook if you have one. One drink is included with registration.
Tickets are $10 ($5 for members), register online or with Guest Services at (479) 657-2335 to reserve your spot today.
About this Month’s Theme: Exquisite Corpse
The evening will focus on rendering the human figure, while spicing things up with a collective twist. Building on the playful surrealist exercise of the “exquisite corpse” (or cadavre exquis), you’ll begin by drawing your own response to the live model. Then, working in teams (or on your own if preferred), each participant will focus on one section of the model in order to reassemble the model’s likeness together. Through cutting, tearing, or simply re-assembling your separate drawings, each participant will take part in this automatic technique favored by the Surrealists of the early 1900s. The game is to create a surprising and often disjunctive drawing! Frankenstein’s monster will playfully emerge as each artist creates a collaborative drawing composed of separate contributions, culminating in a fun, science-fiction induced creation.
About the Artist
Melissa Wilkinson is a lesbian watercolorist focusing primarily on the body as her subject. She received her BFA in painting from Western Illinois University in 2002. She then went on to receive her MFA in painting from Southern Illinois University in 2006. Her work has been featured in wide-reaching publications throughout the country, including three editions of New American Paintings. She has shown in various galleries nationally and internationally, including South Korea and India, and has won numerous awards throughout her career. She has won several fellowships and grants including the Arkansas Arts Council Fellowship in Painting in 2012 and a Middle East Travel Grant in 2016 to perform research throughout Israel.
She was named a “Woman to Watch” in 2016 by the Arkansas Arts Council touring her work for 18 months throughout the region. She has attended artist residencies in Boise, Idaho, and Arthouse, Holland. Her work is amongst private collections throughout the country and abroad and she is represented by OnCenter Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She served as Associate Professor of Art-Painting at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro for 11 years. In 2021 she relocated to New York to pursue her work full time. She holds a studio in Warwick, NY and lives with her wife and two dogs.
Per the CDC’s updated guidelines, we are now requiring all guests ages 2 and up and staff to wear a face covering indoors and while attending outdoor programs, except while eating or drinking. Masks will be available upon entry for those who do not have one. Guests may remove their face covering to eat or drink, and will be socially distanced from guests not in their party.
