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.
HORARIO POR DÍAS FESTIVOS: Crystal Bridges cerrará a las 2:00 p.m. el 24 de diciembre (Nochebuena) y permanecerá cerrado el 25 de diciembre (Navidad).
More than just a fun field trip, our on-site and virtual school tours are the perfect companion to what you’re already doing in the classroom. Each tour connects directly to K-12 curriculum standards and can be used for any subject area—all you have to do is let us know what you need.
Choose from more than 15 preset tours, or work with one of our Museum Educators to design a custom experience just for your students. Whichever path you choose, your visit is completely FREE!
FAQ for Educators
Our highly trained Museum Educators have worked with Curriculum Specialists across Arkansas to design our tours to meet K-12 curriculum standards. Guided tours typically last one hour and focus on four to five works of art. Each tour is themed around an essential question (EQ) and each tour stop uses a specific guiding question to scaffold the conversation back into the theme and standards.
Museum Educators primarily use the dialogical model, a process of student-centered exploration that is designed to deepen critical thinking and discussion skills. That process allows each tour to be conducted at the appropriate level for the class while still promoting student growth.
Thanks to the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, we offer reimbursement for transportation (up to $250 per class) and a substitute (one per class) to every school that signs up as well as a free, nutritious sack lunch for each student.
If you need additional assistance, please reach out to School.Programs@CrystalBridges.org.
Book a Self-Guided School Tours Book an On-Site or Virtual School Tour
Annie Leibovitz at Work centers around a new group of photographs highlighting current events and exceptional figures in today’s world. Anchored by these new works currently in production, the exhibition also features a complementary selection of Leibovitz’s works from the past decade.
Displayed across both printed and digital mediums, Annie Leibovitz at Work offers a dynamic peek into the artist’s contemporary practice and focus. Whether highlighting household names or local heroes, these works link together Leibovitz’s discerning vision and desire to celebrate the extraordinary now.
Exhibition Content Advisory: Your students will have the opportunity to see some of Annie Lebovitz’s most iconic photographs spanning her career. Please note that some of the photographs contain nudity. While we will not focus on these photos, it’s important to know they can be seen throughout the exhibition.
What is it about the natural world that calls to you? Discover the connections between art and science in this exhibition by artist, naturalist, and author Christopher Marley.
See dazzling displays of beetles, butterflies, and bold mosaics of ocean life. Marley sustainably sources his specimens, using responsible insect collecting and vertebrates reclaimed after their death to design these works. He arranges the organisms in patterns inspired by nature—or presents them alone to draw our eye and increase our appreciation.
Looking for a more personalized experience for your students? Let our Museum Educators work directly with you to design an educational experience tailored to your students’ grade level, curriculum, and objectives. Every custom tour is designed to meet state standards and integrate seamlessly into your classroom instruction.
Some custom tours recently created include “Japanese-American Artists” for a high school Japanese language class, “The Great Gatsby” for a 10th grade English class, “Hadestown” and Greek Mythology” for a high school English class, and “The French and Indian War” for 4th graders.
Note: Custom tours must be requested at least three weeks prior to the intended tour date.
See the Arkansas State Standards for the Introductory tours.
This introductory tour designed for young students will explore what a museum is and what they can see and learn while on a visit. Students will interact with a variety of paintings and sculptures and learn how to make the museum their own through conversation, movement, stories, and hands-on group activities.
EQ: What can you see and learn in an art museum?
When artists design three-dimensional works of art that step into our space, we interact with them in different ways than how we interact with two-dimensional artworks. This tour will examine different ways of exploring sculptural works including writing, sketching, movement, and conversation.
EQ: What elements make three-dimensional art different from two-dimensional art?
Discover how the architecture of Crystal Bridges is as stunning and inspirational as the artwork found inside! On this tour, students will discover the architecture of Crystal Bridges. From conception to completion, students will learn the intricacies of how the museum was designed and built. They’ll learn about our founder Alice Walton and her vision for a museum that promotes art, architecture, and nature, as well as architect Moshe Safdie, who brought that vision to life. Students will also learn about the Bachman-Wilson House and its architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.
EQ: What is architecture and what makes it art?
See the Arkansas State Standards for the Core Subject tours.
Every artist and work of art has a story to tell. On this tour, students will learn how to “read” works of art in a museum. By gathering clues about character, plot, and setting in artworks, students will discuss, collaborate, and be inspired to tell their own stories.
EQ: How do artists tell stories through art? How can the viewer be inspired to tell their own stories?
Throughout history, artists and scientists have shared a passion for discovery and innovation. Students on this tour will practice scientific thinking to develop connections between science and visual art. By discussing artworks’ subject matter as well as artists’ materials and processes, students will gain an understanding of the visual effects we see in painting and sculpture and how they were achieved.
EQ: Why is observation essential in art and science?
Both artists and mathematicians throughout history have strived to understand and express the shapes, patterns, and relationships they saw in the world. On this tour, students will explore the mathematical concepts illustrated by multiple artists and artworks in our collection.
EQ: What are the connections between art and math?
Americans are a diverse group, having come here from many places across the world for many different reasons over time. Each of us has a unique story to tell of our families and lives. This tour takes students through American history via artworks that tell the complex and fascinating story of the mosaic that is life in the United States.
EQ: How does art tell the stories of America and its people?
To help students prepare for the Citizenship test required for high school graduation, this tour examines artworks that speak to the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. Concepts such as the value of individual voices in a democracy, the common good, national expansion, civil rights for all citizens, and the three branches of government and their relationships are all potential opportunities for conversation.
EQ: How can the study of artworks help us become better citizens?
See the Arkansas State Standards for the Artistic Process tours.
Art is always changing thanks to the new ideas of bold, creative, and daring artists. On this tour, students will look at the ways some artists break away from the past and bring innovation to the art world. Through active looking and discussion, students will discover how works of art can lead us to see and interpret the world in new and different ways.
EQ: How can art and artists be innovative?
How does an artist work with specific materials, and how do they create some of their effects? This tour uses hands-on props and activities to reveal techniques that artists use to achieve the results we see in their finished works.
EQ: What are the artistic processes and mediums that artists use to create art?
See the Arkansas State Standards for the Perspectives in Art tours.
Explore the past, present, and future through the perspective of Black artists. This tour will allow students to understand, appreciate and celebrate Black artists’ immense contributions to the art world and American history. Students will identify how Black artists use art to highlight inequities and celebrate triumphs to build awareness and empathy.
EQ: How have Black artists utilized art to tell the stories of the black experience in America?
Women’s voices have always been a catalyst for change in art and society. Crystal Bridges has built a rich collection of female artists’ works spanning centuries. On this tour, students will explore the voices of women in art and how their works have confronted various social and political issues, helping to change society for all people.
EQ: How have women contributed to art and society?
Self-guided museum tours are another way for you to take your students to learn at Crystal Bridges. You can arrive at your own convenience, schedule your day as you need to, and still receive reimbursement for bus and substitute teacher costs as with guided tours.
Your arrival and departure depend only upon your schedule – if early arrival works best, come early before the museum opens to enjoy the sculpture trails. If you need to arrive later in the day, you can stay as long as you like. The only differences are that your group will be responsible for their own lunches and will not receive guided tours from Museum Educators. Please join us at Crystal Bridges for a day that you create for yourselves!
Book a Self-Guided School Tour
Virtual, guided on-site, and self-guided tours are available for college and university students as well! These tours cater to older audiences, allowing for collegiate levels of critical thinking about art, history, science, math, and more. If you are a college or university student group, and would like to schedule a tour, please complete the following form.
College Group Tours Request Form
Our After-School Tours provide engaging and educational conversations around art for youth in community-based programs such as after-school centers, camps, and clubs. Our Museum Educators can work with your group to develop custom tours that suit your needs, whether on-site, virtual, or self-guided. If you are an after-school group leader and would like to schedule a tour, please complete the following form.
After-School Tour Request Form
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