A world-class collection of American art, stunning architecture, and 120 acres of Ozark forest with five miles of trails. Admission to the museum is always free.
Planning a visit to Crystal Bridges this spring? Use this guide to learn what’s on and what to expect this season.
We have something for all types of learners. From educator resources to family activities to scholars, find what speaks to you and engage with us.
There’s more to the museum than just the galleries— come enjoy hands-on creative fun with art classes for all ages and experience levels..
Crystal Bridges members receive year-round perks, invitations to member-only events, travel opportunities, and more!
Museum & Buildings
Trails and Grounds open daily sunrise to sunset.
Crystal Bridges is not just an art museum―we are an extension of your classroom! Join us for an hour-long guided tour in the galleries, on the trails, or virtually. We offer a full menu of tour options encompassing all subject areas, grade levels, and abilities. Best of all, our school tours are completely FREE!
FAQ for Educators
Tours are designed to meet curriculum standards and use the dialogical model, a process of student-centered exploration that is designed to deepen critical thinking and discussion skills. That process allows each tour to be conducted at the appropriate level for the class while still promoting student growth.
Whether on-site or in a virtual setting, our highly trained Museum Educators will guide your students through an engaging and educational conversation around works of art in our collection.
Thanks to the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, we offer reimbursement for transportation (up to $250 per class) and a substitute (one per class) to every school that signs up as well as a free, nutritious sack lunch for each student. If you need additional assistance, please reach out to School.Programs@CrystalBridges.org.
Book a Self-Guided School Tours Book an On-Site or Virtual School Tour
Dates offered: March 13, 2023 – July 31, 2023 at 10:30 am & 11:30 am Offered on-site and virtually Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Diego Rivera’s America, a new exhibition developed by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), examines this prolific time in the artist’s life through over 170 works, including his drawings, easel paintings, frescoes, and more. The first major exhibition focused solely on the Mexican artist in over 20 years, it reveals the broad range of Rivera’s work through a series of thematic sections that bring together more works from this time period than have been seen together since the artist’s lifetime.
Dates offered: March 27 – July 31, 2023 Offered on-site only Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Crystal Bridges’ first architecture exhibition, brings together five prototypes for homes to spark a dialogue about contemporary housing.
See the Arkansas State Standards for these tours.
Book an On-Site or Virtual School Tour
Art and Innovation (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 5-12
Art is always changing thanks to the new ideas of bold, creative, and daring artists. In this tour, students will look at the ways in which some artists break away from the past and bring innovation to the art world, while establishing traditional standards of art. Through active looking and discussion, students will discover how works of art can lead us to look at and interpret the world in new ways.
Me and My Museum (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades K-2
This introductory tour, designed for young students, will explore what a museum is and what you can see and learn while on a visit. Students will interact with a variety of paintings and sculptures and learn how to make the Museum their own through conversation, movement, stories, and hands-on group activities.
The Writing is on the Wall: Stories in Art (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Every work of art has a story to tell. On this tour, students will learn how to “read” works of art in a museum. By gathering clues about character, plot, and setting in paintings and sculptures, students will work together to create their own unique narratives and bring works of art to life.
Custom Tour (3 weeks lead time) (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Do you have a curriculum unit you’d like to expand with artworks? Whether you want to explore language arts, social studies, math, science, history, literature, or any other topic through art, we will work with you to customize a tour for your students. We can get as specific as thematically linking artworks to a book your students are reading, or we can elaborate on a historical movement, theme, or era. Give us at least three weeks to communicate with you, research, and write the tour for an experience created specifically for you.
Materials and Techniques (offered on-site only) Recommended for: Grades 9-12
How do artists work with specific materials, and how do they create some of their effects? This tour uses hands-on props and activities to reveal techniques that artists use to achieve the results we see in their finished works of art.
In the Round (offered on-site) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
When artists design three-dimensional works of art that step into our space, we interact with them in ways that are different from the ways we interact with two-dimensional paintings. This tour will examine different ways of exploring a variety of sculptural works, including writing, sketching, movement, and conversation.
The Story of the U.S. (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Americans are a diverse group, having come here from many places across the world for many different reasons over time. Each of us has a unique story to tell of our families and lives. This tour takes students through American history via artworks that tell the complex and fascinating story of the mosaic that is life in the United States.
Perseverance (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 7-12
How do people persevere in times of struggle? How is this depicted in the visual arts? Students will study historic events and explore characters who persevered through challenging moments in American history.
Black Excellence in Art (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Explore the past, present and future through the perspective of Black artists. This tour will allow students to understand, appreciate and celebrate Black artists immense contributions to the art world as well as American History. Black artists have and continue to utilize art to highlight inequities, celebrate triumphs and influence for a better future.
Celebrating Women Artists (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 3-12
Women’s voices have always been a catalyst for positive change in America. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has built a rich collection of female artistic works spanning centuries. On this tour, students will explore the voices of women in art and how their works have confronted various social and political issues, helping to change society for all people.
Art and Science (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 5-8
Throughout history, artists and scientists have shared a passion for discovery and innovation. Students on this tour will practice scientific thinking to develop connections between science and visual art. Through discussions of the subject matter of works of art, as well as artists’ materials and processes, students will gain understanding of the visual effects we see in painting and sculpture and how they were achieved.
Art and Math (offered on-site and virtually) Recommended for: Grades 5-8
What do art and math have in common? More than we may think. The world is full of relationships, rhythms, correlations, and concepts that both artists and mathematicians have strived to express since the beginning of time. On this tour, students will view four works of art and through discussion and activity, explore the mathematical concepts illustrated in each.
Crystal Bridges’ After-School Tours provide an engaging and educational conversation around works of art in our collection for youth participating in community-based programs such as after-school centers, camps, or clubs. Our Museum Educators can work with your group to develop a tour that best suits your needs, whether that’s a guided or self-guided on-site tour or virtual tour. If you are an after-school group leader and would like to schedule a tour, please complete the following forms.
After-School Tour Request Form
Virtual, guided on-site, and self-guided tours are available for college and university students as well! These tour curriculums are also catered to older audiences, allowing for collegiate levels of critical thinking about art, history, science, math, and more. If you are a college or university student group, and would like to schedule a tour, please complete the following form.
College Group Tours Request Form
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