Exhibition invites reflection on America’s past, present, and future through art, history, and civic participation
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — From March 14, 2026, to July 27, 2026, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art presents America 250: Common Threads, an exhibition that will both commemorate the events of 1776 and reflect on 250 years of American art and civic participation. In 2026, the United States will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. From George Washington’s many faces to contemporary quilts, from the Declaration of Independence to the moon landing, visitors can see our nation’s history in vivid color, detailed stitches, patriotic snapshots, and luminous paintings in America 250: Common Threads.
An early engraving of the Declaration of Independence will anchor a group of historic documents from 1776-1876 including quilts, samplers, prints, and paintings. The exhibition considers how artists and national leaders document American histories. America 250: Common Threads celebrates American artists for fostering civic participation and strengthening community relationships historically.
“America 250: Common Threads invites visitors to see how artists across generations have interpreted the many histories of the United States,” said Larissa Randall, assistant curator of American art. “We’re looking forward to sharing the many different ways artists have documented, celebrated, questioned, and reimagined the symbols and stories that shape the national identity of the United States.”
Visitors will experience how people have celebrated national and personal moments in history, from a display of hundreds of 20thcentury patriotic snapshots to souvenirs collected from the US Centennial in 1876. The exhibition also explores the symbols artists turn to when reflecting on the United States: George Washington’s many faces, eagles appearing across books, baskets, and coverlets, flags seen as quilts or as documentation of the moon landing, and more. Contemporary artists featured in the exhibition, such as Robert Colescott, Kay WalkingStick, and Howard Finster, continue to revisit national symbols and explore their resonance.
America 250: Common Threads will also feature live quilting by volunteers and members of Northwest Arkansas quilt guilds, including Bella Vista Calico Cut-Ups, Q.U.I.L.T. Guild of NW Arkansas, Dogwood Quilters Guild, Pieces N Patches Quilt Club, and Northwest Arkansas Modern Quilt Guild. “Quilters-in-Residence” in the galleries will stitch together some of the 60,000 quilt squares made by K-12 students across Arkansas through an art kit designed by artist Basil Kincaid. Quilters will be in the galleries while the exhibition is open to the public Wednesday through Monday.
A lineup of public programs will bring the exhibition to life. On Saturday, March 14, an Opening Celebration will feature a full day of artist-led activations, hands-on artmaking, live performances, and opportunities to explore 250 years of American history through art. Guests can participate in flag-making and tin-tooling activities, experience a live papermaking demonstration by artist Drew Cameron, enjoy in-gallery performances of Spirit of Independence by artist-in-residence Sheryl Oring, and see newly commissioned one-act plays by Iraisa Ann Reilly, a.k. payne, and Sarah Dianne Loucks, TheatreSquared artists-in-residence. The day will also feature cultural dance performances by community partners, and musical performances by the University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble. The celebration concludes with a conversation with the exhibition’s quilters-in-residence, where visitors can create their own quilt squares. Additional programs throughout the exhibition’s run will include gallery talks, performances, readings, cocktail tours, and free drop‑in tours.
Tickets to America 250: Common Threads are $15, free for Crystal Bridges members, SNAP participants, veterans, and adults and youth 18 and under. For more information on America 250: Common Threads and related programming, please visit the exhibition webpage.
America 250: Common Threads is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in partnership with the American Folk Art Museum. The exhibition is sponsored by Stout Executive Search, The Coca-Cola Company, Christie’s, Becky and Bob Alexander, Shari and Lamar Steiger Family, Harrison and Rhonda French Family, Valorie and Randy Lawson / Lawco Energy Group, Frederick and Shelby Gans, Avis Bailey, Beverly and Charles Lee, and Marybeth and Micky Mayfield. This exhibition is part of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, presented by Craft in America.
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About American Folk Art Museum
Founded in 1961, the American Folk Art Museum is the nation’s museum of folk and self-taught artists. Candid, genuine, and unexpected, AFAM celebrates the creativity of individuals whose singular talents have been refined largely through personal experience rather than formal artistic training. With a collection spanning 7,500 works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent, the Museum engages people of all backgrounds through its collections, exhibitions, publications, and public programs as the leading forum shaping the understanding and appreciation of folk and self-taught art. Thanks to the generous support of our members, patrons, and donors, admission is always free.
For more information, visit folkartmuseum.org.
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.
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