Crystal Bridges
Crystal Bridges, a world-class art museum and cultural center in Bentonville, Arkansas, will open in 2009, dramatically expanding access to art, cultural and learning resources for residents of Northwest Arkansas and spurring the continued economic development of the region.
Funded by the Walton Family Foundation, the world-class Crystal Bridges art museum and cultural center is scheduled to open in Bentonville, Arkansas in 2009, dramatically expanding access to cultural resources in Northwest Arkansas and attracting 250,000 visitors each year from around the region, the country and the world.
To encourage the art and art-history education of students of all ages, Crystal Bridges will provide accessible learning programs and resources, develop programs for parents and their children, and establish school partnership programs. Dedicated facilities will be available for school tour groups, art demonstrations and art-making activities, led by educators on the Crystal Bridges staff. A distance-learning studio will employ Web-based resources and live video conferencing programs to bring art and history education into the schools of rural Arkansas and neighboring states.
Crystal Bridges will also strengthen the communities of Northwest Arkansas as it enriches the cultural life of the region. Walking trails will link Bentonville's neighborhoods with Crystal Bridges' 100 acres of sculpture gardens and woodland paths, encouraging community uses and activities. The museum's 100,000 square feet of space will encompass galleries, classrooms, reception and hospitality facilities, curatorial and administrative offices, a library and a lecture hall, as well as a museum shop and dining facilities. Employing approximately 75 full-time staff, it is expected to attract 250,000 visitors each year from around the country.
