Hosted by Board Chair Olivia Walton, the conversation will explore how civil disagreement sustains democracy
Download bios and high-resolution images.
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art today announced the next installment of Building Bridges featuring Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Building Bridges: Disagreement by Design: A Conversation with Justice Amy Coney Barrett will explore how civil disagreement sustains democracy. In conversation with Crystal Bridges Board Chair Olivia Walton, the Justice will discuss how respect, intellectual rigor, and adherence to process guide judicial decision-making, and why these principles matter to every citizen.
Hosted by Crystal Bridges Board Chair Olivia Walton, Building Bridges brings together thought leaders, thinkers, and artists to model civic dialogue. As part of Crystal Bridges’ year-long celebration of America at 250, Building Bridges honors the American spirit of meeting in the middle with curiosity, courage, and care. From Crystal Bridges’ home in Bentonville, Arkansas, the museum invites its neighbors and the nation to gather at its bridge, a place that connects what’s divided and can carry us forward together. Past Building Bridges programs have featured President Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.
Building Bridges: Disagreement by Design: A Conversation with Justice Amy Coney Barrett will be held at Heartland Whole Health Institute on the Crystal Bridges Campus on Saturday, May 9, at 6:00 p.m. The conversation will highlight how the American legal system is structured to accommodate differing viewpoints while upholding shared rules and institutions.
Crystal Bridges members have first access to tickets for Building Bridges: Disagreement by Design: A Conversation with Justice Amy Coney Barrett starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 20. The museum’s members receive advance notification and early access to ticketed events, like the Building Bridges series. The event will be livestreamed by Arkansas TV. For more information, visit the Crystal Bridges website.
Building Bridges is sponsored by Trott Family Philanthropies, Cadillac of Bentonville (Superior Auto Group), Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Cathy and Mike Mayton, Trustees, Demara Titzer, Amp Sign and Banner, Rebecca Hurst and Jim Smith | Smith Hurst PLC, Andrea Albright and Patrick Bannon, Marsha and Jon Phillips, Jim and Susan von Gremp, and Omer and Evren Tore.
###
About Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 28, 1972. She married Jesse M. Barrett in 1999, and they have seven children. She received a B.A. from Rhodes College in 1994 and a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1997. She served as a law clerk for Judge Laurence H. Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 1997 to 1998, and for Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court of the United States during the 1998 Term. After two years in private law practice in Washington, D.C., she became a law professor, joining the faculty of Notre Dame Law School in 2002. She was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in 2017. President Donald J. Trump nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and she took her seat on October 27, 2020.
About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed more than 15 million visitors across its spaces, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a public 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization by philanthropist Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks from early American to current day and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions.
The museum is nestled on 134 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by the world-renowned Safdie Architects. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes, and teacher development opportunities, and is the home of the prestigious Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art and Tyson Scholars of American Art Program. Some 558,375 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools.
Additional museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library, and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened the Momentary in Downtown Bentonville (507 SE E Street), a venue for the music, art, and food of our time. Crystal Bridges’ 114,000 square foot expansion will open to the public June 6 and 7, 2026, allowing the museum to expand access for all. For more information, visit CrystalBridges.org. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712.
About Crystal Bridges Campus
Crystal Bridges Campus in Bentonville, Arkansas, features 134 acres dedicated to art and wellness. It is home to three landmark institutions designed by acclaimed architecture firms: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Safdie Architects), Heartland Whole Health Institute (Marlon Blackwell Architects), and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects). Envisioned by founder and philanthropist Alice Walton, the campus unites art, architecture, nature, education, and wellness to create transformative experiences that foster learning and enhance health and well-being. More than five miles of trails connect the iconic buildings, featuring art installations both inside and outside. The campus terrain varies from Ozark forest to display gardens, and includes streams, ponds, and Crystal Springs. In 2024, the campus received Arboretum accreditation. The campus is open daily from dawn to dusk. Additionally, the Momentary, an extension of Crystal Bridges, is located 1 mile south of campus.
Media Contact
media@crystalbridges.org