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The 2022-23 Winter Guide to Crystal Bridges

Winter is a season for coming together. It’s a time when we hug our family members, reunite with old friends, spoil the kids, reflect on the past year, and make plans for the year to come. Make lasting memories at Crystal Bridges this winter, and enjoy gorgeous winter scenes both in the art galleries and outside around the grounds.

Don’t miss your last chance to experience unforgettable exhibitions, such as Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour, We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy, or the light-filled Listening Forest. Grab a warm cup of cocoa and get your holiday shopping done in the Museum Store, or enjoy artmaking activities during Winter Break Wonders (12/22-1/2).

 

Holiday Hours:

We’re Closed Christmas Day, December 25: Crystal Bridges will be closed on 12/25 so our staff and volunteers can enjoy the day with their families. Listening Forest will also be closed on the evening of 12/25. We will reopen on Monday, 12/26.

Early Closings on December 24 (Christmas Eve): On 12/24, Crystal Bridges will close at 2 p.m. and Listening Forest will be closed.

 

Don’t Miss the Winter Exhibition Season

It’s a jam-packed exhibition season! Don’t miss these unforgettable experiences both in the galleries and outside along the trails. No matter who you bring with you to the museum, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

 

A man puts his hand under a cane-shaped kiosk surrounded by a field of lights in the middle of the forest at night
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Listening Forest, "Pulse Forest", 2022, Bentonville Arkansas / United States, Photo by Stephen Ironside.

Listening Forest by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Closing January 1, 2023
Get tickets here | North Forest

Listening Forest, created by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, uses light, sound, and projections to create an interactive walk through the woods. This site-specific exhibition brings together eight immersive installations, each one activated by you: your heart rate, your body, your voice, and your movements direct the forest’s response.

Add your heartbeat to an array of 3,000 lightbulbs each glimmering to the pulse of a different participant from the past. Control giant, 20-foot-tall stick figures made of light. Leave a voice recording that will join a chorus of echoes left by previous forest visitors, and much more.

 

Interior forest globes with drinks set on table
Book Your Very Own Snow Globe

Enhance your Listening Forest experience by booking a snow globe. The experience includes two-and-a-half hours inside a cozy, see-through snow globe dome with lights and faux fur blankets, specialty food, cocktails, and a Snow Globe Concierge. Tickets to this snow globe experience also include entry to Listening Forest and a shuttle pick-up to bring you to your snow globe upon arrival. Perfect for a date night or a holiday reunion with friends. Learn more and reserve your snow globe here.

 

Last Days: We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy

Closing January 2, 2023
Free | Modern Art Gallery

Have you seen the Constitution yet? In We the People, a rare, original print of the US Constitution (one of only eleven known in the world) is on view alongside other founding documents and in conversation with works of art by influential historical and contemporary artists that provide diverse American perspectives on the nation’s founding principles. Don’t miss your opportunity to see these documents at Crystal Bridges, only for a limited time.

 

a group of people walk toward an exhibition door under a banner that says
a gallery view centered on a large painting of a nicely dressed man with mannequins showcasing fashion garments on either side

Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour

Closing January 30, 2023
Get tickets here | Temporary Exhibition Gallery

Dress to impress for the museum’s first exhibition dedicated to fashion! From dresses worn by first ladies to art-inspired garments to iconic fashion moments that defined a generation, Fashioning America offers a dynamic interaction between video, imagery, and over 100 garments and accessories selected from across two centuries of fashion.

The exhibition emphasizes the work of designers who immigrated to America, Native American and Black designers, as well as iconic fashion brands and their impact on visual culture in every decade. This sweeping presentation conveys how American fashion and its contributions reflect the American spirit of ingenuity on the national and world stages.

 

a pink and white architecture structure covered in snow sits next to a sidewalk path

Architecture at Home

Open through 2023
Free | along the Orchard Trail

Crystal Bridges’ outdoor architecture exhibition brings together five prototypes for homes to spark a dialogue about contemporary housing. Through research, interviews, and innovative thinking, five architecture firms based across the Americas designed and fabricated 500 square-foot prototypes for a contemporary house to be displayed in the exhibition and visitors can enter and walk around them.

Overall, this exhibition helps us better understand how architecture affects our lives, determine what makes a house a home, and celebrate the artistry in building and shelter.

Learn more about this project and the participating architects.

 

Resource: Plan a day of architectural discovery at Crystal Bridges with this day-long architecture itinerary.

 

a gallery view of an ocean blue wall and entrance opening to a brightly lit and colorful gallery with works on the walls and in the space
Entre/Between in the galleries. Photo by Daniel Moody/Ironside Photography.

Free, Focus Exhibitions in the Galleries

There are more exhibitions found in the collection galleries. Enjoy free, focus exhibitions including Entre/Between in the Early American Art Gallery and Loring Taoka: ± in the Contemporary Art Gallery.

 

Get Ready for Holiday Family Fun

Bring the whole family to the museum during school break for artmaking, dancing, crafting, and memory-making.

 

a mother and her son look at each other smiling while making a paper crown and art crafts in a studio
Photo by Stephen Ironside

Winter Break Wonders

December 22, 2022 – January 2, 2023
Free | 1 to 4 pm daily

Make memories at the museum over school break as you create with artists, dive into fun projects in the studios, and listen to fun music together as a family. Join us for special activities each afternoon, including artmaking, creative play, movement activities, art carts, visits by nature experts, and more.

 

a man dressed as father time in a wig, walking on stilts, and carrying a cane poses for a photo with three children wearing paper crowns
Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

Noon Year’s Eve

Saturday, December 31, 11 am to 3 pm

Ring in the New Year—without staying up past bedtime! Join us for our annual family-friendly, daytime New Year’s celebration. Packed with festivities for the young and young-at-heart alike, the afternoon will feature artmaking, live music and performances, games, dancing, and of course our iconic Coca-Cola New Year’s toast at noon. 

Free, no tickets required. Drop by anytime.

Book a Romantic Evening in Eleven

Enjoy a locally-inspired, five-course menu created by Executive Chef Timothy Ordway and team. The seasonal menus capture the flavors and spirit of the evening, making each visit a unique experience. Paired with smooth jazz by the in-house DJ and optional tableside bottle service, there’s simply no better way to spend an evening surrounded by art and nature. See available evenings and make reservations here.

A tableclothed table setting for two with drink glasses and centerpiece flowers looking out onto the Crystal Bridges upper pond in winter

Find the Perfect Holiday Gift in the Museum Store

The Museum Store is the perfect place to find that special gift that you can’t get anywhere else. From Crystal Bridges gear and art prints to regional artisan crafts, Arkansas crystal jewelry, and toys and books for the kids, find something special for everyone on your list at the Museum Store.

Members: get extra savings on holiday gifts during Member Double Discount Days, December 9-12!

 

Museum Store Designed by Marlon Blackwell

Grab a Cup of Cheer and Walk in a Winter Wonderland

Stop by the Coffee Bar and choose from an array of warm beverages to make your season bright. Options include a white chocolate mocha, a maple spice syrup latte, or a Crystal Bridges tea latte with a blend made by Savoy Tea Co. Also, museum members get a free 12 oz. drip coffee! With beverage in hand, bundle up and head out for a trail walk around the grounds. See sculptures against a winter forest backdrop and spend quality time with friends, family, pets (leashed dogs are welcome on the trails), or yourself.

 

a woman walks her dog on a sidewalk cutting through a winter landscape surrounded by trees, snow, and a bridge on the right
Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

Give the Gift of Membership

Want to give a gift that keeps giving all year round? Purchase a Crystal Bridges membership for someone special. Members enjoy a wide range of benefits, including free admission to temporary exhibitions, discounts on programs, events, and Museum Store purchases, and invitations to members-only events. Plus your support helps fund the free or low-cost events, classes, and community outreach that allow Crystal Bridges to make the power of art accessible to all. Current members receive a 10% discount on gift memberships.

Start here.

 

several people viewing artwork in the crystal bridges gallery, the center featuring a white sculpture of Sappho on a marble pedestal
People view artwork in the Early American Gallery

Visit Bentonville and the Momentary

There’s more art to explore at the Momentary, located at 507 SE E St., about 1.5 miles south of Crystal Bridges. Read the Momentary’s Winter Guide to learn what’s going on in the space during this season.

Visiting Bentonville for the first time this season? There’s something for everyone, from public art and cultural museums to unique food and drink options to exciting nightlife and over 40 miles of connecting bike trails. Go to VisitBentonville.com for more information to plan your winter trip.

 

a crowd of people sitting at tables decorated for the holidays underneath wreath chandeliers

Thank you to our sponsors: 

Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour sponsored by The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation | JP Morgan | Lee and Wrangler | JT and Imelda Rose | Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry | Dillard’s Inc | Gelmart International | Jim and Susan von Gremp | Neal and Gina Pendergraft | Pamm and Paul Prebil | Diane and Mark Simmons | Tony Waller | Shannon and Charles Holley | In kind donation support made possible by the Brooklyn Museum.

Listening Forest sponsored by The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation | Kenneth and Mandy Davis | Sue and Charles Redfield.

Architecture at Home sponsored by Ford Foundation | Airways Freight Corp. | Engel & Völkers | Michelle Dearing | Ken and Liz Allen | The Incredible Building Co. | Tartaglino Richards Family Foundation | Steve and Susan Nelson.

We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy is sponsored by Kenneth C. Griffin.

Learning and engagement programming for We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy is sponsored by Scholastic Inc. | Walmart | Tyson Family Foundation | Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. Foundation | Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates, & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. | Johnny and Jeanie Morris, Bass Pro Shops | Alturas Foundation | Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc. | Sotheby’s | Bob and Becky Alexander | Marybeth and Micky Mayfield | Lamar and Shari Steiger | Jeff and Sarah Teague / Citizens Bank | Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities | Avis and Bill Bailey | Scarlett and Neff Basore | June Carter Family | Terri and Chuck Erwin | Jackye and Curtis Finch | The Harrison and Rhonda French Family | Jim and Susan von Gremp | Laurice Hachem | Shannon and Charles Holley | Valorie and Randy Lawson / Lawco Energy Group | Donna and Mack McLarty | Steve and Susan Nelson | Neal and Gina Pendergraft | Helen Porter | JT and Imelda Rose | Lee and Linda Scott | Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Catherine and Michael Mayton, Trustees | William Reese Company

Entre/Between sponsored by Phillips.

Noon Year’s Eve sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company.

 

Art Credits:

Julie Mehretu, Retopistics: A Renegade Excavation, 2001, ink and acrylic on canvas, 101 1/2 in. x 17 ft. 4 1/2 in. x 2 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2013.28. Photography by ThinkDero.

Tony Tasset, Deer, 2015, fiberglass, epoxy, and paint, 144 in. x 20 ft. x 96 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2017.4. Photography by Ironside Photography.

Titus Kaphar, The Cost of Removal, 2017, oil, canvas, and rusted nails on canvas, 108 x 84 x 1 1/2 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2017.20. Photography by ThinkDero.