Reviews (100)
Blown away by this museum and the trails outside too! Amazing work and construction! World class art collection and super friendly staff too
An amazing place. It is well worth your time to spend a couple of hours walking through the museum and looking at the superb collection of art. It has an amazingly broad selection of artwork so I am sure you will find something that inspires you.
It was a different experience for me. In the beginning it was looking like a water fall. Than I saw a complex on the water. When I go inside I saw a lot of exhibits around. I will go there with my kids again.
The building and its setting were the best part of the whole thing. The displays were of different periods and types of American art. I can't give a 5 since there was way too much that we just don't understand. I appreciate art, but not a lot for me to appreciate. The museum is free of charge.
Lots of construction going on around this place! But it in noway interferes with the beauty. The grounds are beautiful, with well worn paths as well as paved and gravel paths. The art is woven throughout the grounds and it is all very fascinating! The architecture of the main building is absolutely intriguing and beautiful! The art galleries are full of interesting pieces! We spent three hours here (with a 4&6 year old) inside and out and it was still not long enough. I can't wait to go back, because we by no means got to enjoy every inch of this fabulous place! I could go on and on. There are bikers, hikers, walkers, animal all allowed. There are benches and nooks to sit for a spell! There bathrooms and water stations strategically placed! We saw two deer mere feet in front of us resting just off the path!
TLDR: Beautiful museum, beautiful art, not toddler/preschooler friendly We went out of our way on our cross country trip to visit crystal bridges since my son wants to be an artist when he grows up, and we love Frank Lloyd Wright, and were excited to get to take our kids to see one of his houses. We were walking around enjoying the first exhibit when my almost three-year-old daughter was getting understandably antsy, so I tried to put her up in our ergo carrier on my back so that she could still see the art over my shoulder and hear me talk about it. I was then notified by a security guard/ docent that I was not allowed to carry her on my back. I should have checked the rules before I came in, but I had never heard of any one having that rule before so I didn't even think to check. I am now finding out this is fairly common for museums to not allow backpack carriers for "protection of the art", but I would strongly urge them to reconsider. They said it was for the protection of the art, but I am much better able to control my child and help them have an interest in and respect for what I'm viewing if they are on my back and able to see what I am seeing. If I'm trying to carry them and shift them around, or allowing them to walk where they can get antsy and run, or if I'm trying to push them in a stroller and I'm in a museum with several sets of stairs, such as this one, the safest thing to do for the art is to carry her on my back. She was too heavy to wear on the front so that wasn't an option either. They were so vigilant to make sure that I didn't carry my child on my back so that she could view the beautiful pieces from the vantage point they were meant to be seen, and then when we went outside and there were statues that said "do not touch. Do not sit." People were climbing and sitting on the flower statue and the docents didn't say anything as they walked by. It was very frustrating to see the double standard and it really made it where we could not enjoy t
Amazing museum if you like architecture. The museum buildings themselves are a unique work and there's also a Frank Lloyd Wright house on the grounds. There are also a bunch of hiking trails, sculptures, lawn games, and the usual art exhibits. It's also free aside from a few things like the traveling exhibits. Highly recommend.
Crystal Bridges is one of the premier places in Northwest Arkansas for photo shoots. It is extremely popular amongst my clients and it is pretty obvious why. There are so many trails, the open ones with all the sculptures are great and then there are more secluded ones for those that want a little more privacy. The cement exterior of the museum provides a nice contrast to the surrounding area — I always think it’s great to be able to deliver my clients images taken in the natural settings there and then something a bit different and urban. I’ve also worked with the events team at the Museum a few times and they’ve been excellent every single time. Oh and did I mention… they have some pretty amazing art inside!
Beautiful trails with art all along the way. The Narcissus balls are mesmerizing. They reflect the sun and the clouds and the other balls with their reflections and on a windy day with high cirrus clouds it's like watching a movie. It changes and the changes as well. There are so many fun and whimsical pieces of art that the walk is a true treat. My favorite portrait in the gallery was Kindred Spirits. The food in the restaurant is delicious and the restaurant is well placed at the end of the gallery. All of the docents are helpful and friendly. Highly recommend, especially the trails.
Some of the pieces I wanted to see were not on display. I wish there was a way to know this in advance. Still, we had a great visit and were so impressed by the expansive facilities and the scope of the collection.
Spectacular museum with a great collection of art from the 1800s until modern times. Loved how well organized it is, the spaces ans special exhibitions. It's a must visit.
Amazing FREE art museum with a top notch collection of significant American art (including immigrants). Plus the buildings are a work of art in themselves. And the art trails are fun too. My favorite was the Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room, which is only 1 of 2 permanently in the US. Spend all day here. The tour guides were very friendly. And the food in Eleven restaurant was tasty.
Mostly loved it. We were recommended Crystal Bridges for Valentine’s photos, and decided to explore the museum as a whole as well. As we toured we were stopped at one point and asked if her small balloon was a helium balloon because those aren’t allowed, we confirmed it wasn’t and continued on, and ended up stopped again about it, this time the rule was just balloons in general so I decided to just throw it away, of course my toddler was not having it and as I’m reasoning with her another person approached about the balloon that we are fine to just finish going through the museum and to just kind of hurry through. So my advice? Just don’t bring a balloon, even if it isn’t an actual floating one that will bounce around the artwork (and reasonable to ban) and no different than holding a purse or stuffed animal haha. Other than the somewhat entertaining balloon debacle it was decent and the mirror room was of course the kids favorite.
I really enjoyed my visit. The shop has unique items for sale for all ages. Many different art mediums to enjoy. My favorite was the infinity room with light orbs.
We love visiting the museum and walking the trails. It's a new adventure every time. They are always adding new things and changing things so each time you go is a new experience. The out door trails are absolutely beautiful. Although it does get busy on the weekends it's still a very enjoyable experience! The infinity room is my favorite with all of the color changing lights you feel like your traveling in space!
A beautiful property with lots to see and do. In Jan 2023 they are making improvements and building more exhibits for you to enjoy. At this time it is free to tour so there isn't a reason to not make it a stop on your trip. Walk through the forest or tour an original Frank Lloyd Wright house. Be prepared to spend several hours.
Very lovely museum! The home concepts outside the museum were very cool to look at. The museum is very huge and has a large collection of artwork from many different eras. Some of the exhibits are free which is amazing! Worth the trip if you enjoy art, history, or fun. Depending on the day you visit, parking can be a pain!
Somehow the website said they were closed on Jan 1, but they weren't actually, We ended up finding this out on a whim while we were in town and we're a bit bummed as we would have loved to spend even more time there than we did. We also had tickets to the outside exhibit Light Forest and that was quite nice. The architecture here is brilliant. A truly hidden gem in Bentonville.
We took the outdoor trail downtown (free). It was a nice easy walk. We got there late so it was getting dark, I'm sure the trail is more enjoyable with light. They have ample parking and everywhere looked pretty clean. Despite the name we didn't see a single bridge of crystal.
There are so many views and artifacts to see! Love that the museum is not only spacious but there is so much to see! There are multiple of areas to explore,a place to eat,fellowship and soak in all the history of this place. I definitely will recommend going here if you’re ever visiting!