Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy conference will take place at the museum June 24-26
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art invites teachers across America to participate in a returning three-day national professional development conference aimed at arts integration this summer. Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy equips literacy, social studies, STEM, studio art, and wellness teachers with an approach to teaching that harnesses the power of visual art. Set against the backdrop of America’s Art Museum and the world-class collection at Crystal Bridges, educators will be joined by arts integration experts, Focus 5, Inc.
Happening June 24 – 26, 2026, the conference will be held in the museum’s new Learning and Engagement Hub, which is part of Crystal Bridges’ 114,000-square-foot expansion. The conference will inspire teachers to make their classrooms a place where critical thinking, connection, and creativity thrive as students “read” art just as they read books. Visual literacy unlocks this world, transforming how educators teach and how students learn. Through Reading Beyond Words, educators will develop deeper understandings, prompt curriculum-centered conversations, inspire inquiry, transcend language barriers, engage multiple learning styles, and foster an inclusive environment where every student can succeed.
“Visual literacy expands how students access meaning. When we teach students to closely observe, interpret, and support their thinking with evidence, we’re strengthening the same cognitive processes that drive reading, writing, and problem-solving across disciplines. This work helps educators unlock those skills for every learner,” said Michelle Flournoy, senior director of learning.
Reading Beyond Words is geared toward K-12 English Language Arts teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, history teachers, and art teachers. Conference tickets are $250 ($200 for Crystal Bridges members). The ticket includes breakfast and lunch for all days of the conference and teaching resources for the classroom. Educators can reserve their spot online or by calling Guest Experience at 479-657-2335. For more information, visit Crystal Bridges’ website.
WHAT: Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy, a three-day national educator professional development conference focused on arts integration.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 24, through Friday, June 26.
WHERE: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
WHO: Focus 5, Inc. national arts integration specialists, K-12 English Language Arts, social studies, STEM, studio art, and wellness teachers, as well as reading specialists, literacy coaches, history teachers, and art teachers.
WHY: Develop tools to facilitate meaningful discussions about art and learn strategies for helping students “read” and interpret art.
HOW: Conference tickets are $250 ($200 for Crystal Bridges members). The ticket includes breakfast and lunch for all days of the conference and teaching resources for the classroom. Educators can reserve their spot online or by calling Guest Experience at 479-657-2335. For more information, visit Crystal Bridges’ website.
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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.
Media Contact
media@crystalbridges.org