Art Enthusiasts, History Buffs Revel in Arkansas's Cultural Offerings
Distinctly beautiful, the regions of Arkansas inspire local artists, whose stimulating works can be found in galleries and museums throughout the state, while local orchestras delight listeners with crisp, soul stirring melodies. Performance art thrives on the stages of community theaters that feature local and national talent, and many centers and museums also offer classes on a variety of mediums for children and adults. For history buffs, Arkansas's museums showcase topics spanning the Civil War, desegregation, gangsters, the world's largest corporation and even Ernest Hemingway.
Life Imitates Art
State's like one big gallery to Arkansas Art Center's Nan Plummer
By Jason M. Wiest
On a quiet, intimate street in Ann Arbor, Mich., where the houses sit mere feet apart and Saturday night high school football fans desperate for parking cause the only traffic not tied to the neighborhood, Nan Plummer and her husband, Jim Spencer, walked out their front door for a run. As they started out walking down the sidewalk, a woman who had just parked along the street got out of her car and began walking towards them. And as they passed, Nan and Jim spoke a friendly greeting.
The woman didn't reciprocate. Didn't speak a word. Didn't even look up at them.
"That would never happen in Little Rock. An Arkansan would never do that," Nan told her husband. She'd been commuting back and forth between the family's home in Michigan and Little Rock, where in November 2002 she had taken the job as executive director of the Arkansas Arts Center, the state's only art museum and largest cultural institution known nationally for its exquisite collection of unique works on paper.
Ever since her first visit, Nan was struck by the "proactive friendliness" of the Arkansans she met. The people in the airport, at restaurants – it was like they all felt this camaraderie for anyone they encountered. Soon after, when Jim and their two children followed, this warmness would comfort her again. The move upset her son Bill, who had to leave his friends behind and finish his last two years of high school in a new place. Nan knew everything would be all right, though, when she happened to catch a glimpse of Bill and a new friend hugging outside of school – the same warmth she'd told her family to expect.
But there were more delights to be found in Arkansas. Little Rock was a runner's paradise. Flat stretches, hilly terrain, routes with river views and miles of shaded trails – any type of course you could imagine. Of course, there was plenty of Southern cuisine to taste – "I keep trying catfish," Nan said – but the abundance of restaurants that served delicious sushi was a welcome surprise. And after living here for nearly seven years, Nan, who wrote her dissertation on 18th century Roman ecclesiastical architecture, still finds intrigue in the state's rich array of historic buildings and beautiful architecture, particularly among churches.
The arts and humanities continue to dominate much of Nan and her family's life in Arkansas just as they always have. Her husband, who owned his own recording studio in Michigan and helped produce two Emmy award-winning projects and one that received a Grammy nomination, now works in audio technology at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and provides audio services for productions in the theater department. In her spare time, Nan sings in the UALR community chorus.
Even outside their places of work, there's plenty of artistry of all types to satisfy the couple's lifelong passions. In fact, the city has more art galleries per capita than any city she's ever lived in, excluding Rome, Italy, and she's lived in cities in Michigan, Ohio and Massachusetts. "Little Rock is an arts town," she said, and as the Arkansas Arts Center's executive director, she hopes to define it as such in more people's minds. She challenges skeptics to visit the center, go to the Arkansas Reparatory Theater and listen to the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. "If you ever had any preconceived notions about what life would be like in a mid-sized Southern city, they will be gone."
Of course, many people are already familiar with the state's dazzling arts scene, and the Arkansas Arts Center in particular. In a normal year, 290,000 people visit the center, extraordinary for a museum in a city the size of Little Rock. That's more than the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City receives. And with a new visiting exhibit, the center's numbers could grow.
From September 25, 2009 to July 5, 2010, the center will host "World of the Pharaohs: Treasures of Egypt Revealed," the first Egyptian art exhibition ever to come to the state and one of the center's most ambitious to date. Consisting of more than 200 objects from the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which has one of the best collections of Egyptian art in North America, the exhibition paints an overview of 3,000 years of Egyptian life. Excavated in Cairo in the early 20th century in collaboration with Harvard and the Egyptian government, the objects – including a colossus of Ramses the Great, Egyptian art, jewelry, statues, sculptures and funerary artifacts –tell the story of both Egyptian life and death.
Nan's excitement about the exhibition, which even includes two mummies, is obvious. Seeing it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many people, she says. Little Rock is one of only four North American cities the exhibit will stop at before returning to Boston, meaning numerous visitors will come from out of state for the chance to see it.
Spectacular as the exhibition will be, it's not what makes the center special, Nan says. Instead, it's the center's intimacy. It's the fact that visitors can take in a van Gogh or Cézanne painting up close, without disruption. Residents of other cities should be so lucky to get as closely acquainted with the pieces in their hometown art museums. To Nan, the atmosphere fits perfectly with the young Arkansas Arts Center's extensive and renowned collection of drawings.
"Drawings and works of craft are fairly intimate kinds of works of art," she says. "They're meant to be looked at, and while we can't let people actually handle them, they're meant to be sort of mentally handled, really examined closely and enjoyed slowly and personally, and it's a little harder to do in a great big cavernous museum with thousands of people streaming by you or pushing up behind you."
That style and environment is perfect for art, and as someone whose life revolves around art, perhaps it's for similar reasons that Arkansas has been perfect for Nan Plummer. What greater work of art is there than a human being? In a state with a smaller population, neighbors and even strangers can take the time to talk with and get to know each other, to explore new realms of one another's intricacies even during a random conversation on the sidewalk and to become so familiar with all the people around them that they truly feel at home.
Central Arkansas
Arkansas Arts Center
MacArthur Park, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock
(501) 372-4000/www.arkarts.com
The Arkansas Arts Center features an acclaimed collection of unique works on paper, primarily European and American, from the Renaissance to the present. The galleries also feature contemporary objects in craft media including teapots, baskets, turned wood, studio glass and more. Also located at the center are Best Impressions Restaurant, the Museum Shop, the Children's Theatre and the Museum School. Admission is free. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Arkansas National Guard Museum
North Little Rock/(501) 212-5215
www.arngmuseum.com
This museum tells the story of the Arkansas National Guard, from its militia roots to its participation in the current global war on terror. Displays include large scale models of the post in the WWI and WWII eras, weapons, vehicles, airplane models, uniforms and photographs. In addition, the museum chronicles the story of Archibald Yell, a former governor and the first Arkansas representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
601 Main St., Little Rock
(501) 378-0405/www.therep.org
The Rep presents eight Main Stage performances and several special events each season. Performances are held in a restored building at the corner of Sixth and Main streets in downtown Little Rock. Performances are typically Wednesday through Sunday and include a Sunday matinee. Ticket prices depend on show and seating and range from $20 to $60. Call the Box Office or visit the Web site for more information or to purchase tickets.
Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre
900 Oak St., Conway
(501) 269-4815/www.arkshakes.com
Every summer, the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre produces a repertory of family-friendly professional productions at Reynolds Performance Hall on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. With dual missions of excellence and accessibility, the theater adds something unique to the region and provides thousands of families with a one-of-a-kind theatre experience in a world-class facility.
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
2417 N. Tyler, Little Rock
(501) 666-1761/www.arkansassymphony.org
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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs more than 30 concerts at Robinson Center Music Hall each year, including all concerts within the Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series, the ACXIOM Pops Live Series and the River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series, as well as numerous special events including ACXIOM SuperPops. Other ASO activities include its resident string quartets, the Quapaw Quartet, the ASO Arts Partners and the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestras.
Celebrity Attractions
300 Spring St., Suite 100, Little Rock
(501) 244-8800/www.celebrityattractions.com
National Touring Broadway productions courtesy of the Celebrity Attractions' Broadway 2009-2010 Season include the much anticipated return of "Mamma Mia!"; "Little House on the Prairie" starring Melissa Gilbert as ‘Ma', a new Broadway musical about a beloved classic; "Stomp", the international percussion sensation with new surprises that are sure to amaze; and "The Wizard of Oz." Performances are held at Robinson Center Music Hall in downtown Little Rock.
Central High School National Historic Site
2120 Daisy Bates Drive
Little Rock/(501) 374-1957
www.nps.gov/chsc
In September 1957, Central High School became a battleground in the struggle for civil rights. Learn more about events that challenged the citizens of this nation to debate the meaning of equal rights. Listen as those who were there tell their stories and test your knowledge of your own civil liberties.
Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall
University of Central Arkansas, Conway
(501) 450-3265/www.uca.edu
Since opening in 2000 with a sold-out concert by the late Ray Charles, this 1200-seat performance hall has hosted numerous celebrities, including the Temptations, Ms. Gladys Knight, the Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and many national and international touring companies.
Emoba Museum
12th & Louisiana Street
Little Rock/(501) 661-9903
www.onlinelittlerock.com/emoba
Emoba hosts changing exhibits that explore the African-American experience in Arkansas. Housed in a former church, Emoba explores the role African Americans played in the cultural development of the state and showcases artifacts of Afro-American culture.
Historic Arkansas Museum
Little Rock/(501) 324-9351
www.historicarkansas.org
History comes to life every day at the Historic Arkansas Museum in five galleries of Arkansas-made art and artifacts, including a Native American Gallery and an interactive Children's Gallery. Block 32 of the frontier city of Little Rock includes the city's oldest standing building, the Hinderliter Grog Shop.
Jacksonville Museum of Military History
Jacksonville/(501) 241-1943
www.jaxmilitarymuseum.org
Be reminded of the sacrifice of America's veterans at the Jacksonville Military Museum. The museum, located on the site of the administration building of the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant during World War II, was built to ensure that the freedoms Americans enjoy are not taken for granted. It includes many special exhibits, a Museum store, a media presentation and a research room.
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
Little Rock/(501) 376-4602
www.arkmilitaryheritage.com
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History interprets the state's military heritage from its territorial period to the present through artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items. It also hosts many special events throughout the year, including the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, Flag Day Celebration and more.
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Little Rock/(501) 683-3593
www.mosaictemplarscenter.com
This state-of-the-art facility has more than 8,000 square feet of interactive exhibit and education space. It focuses on collecting, preserving, interpreting and celebrating African-American history, culture and community in Arkansas from 1870 to the present, as well as informing and educating the public about black achievements in business, politics and the arts.
Murry's Dinner Playhouse
6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock
(501) 562-3131/www.murrysdinnerplayhouse.com
Murry's Dinner Playhouse has been serving up food, fun and fabulous entertainment since 1967, offering an all-you-can-eat buffet and a full season of Broadway's best comedies and musicals.
Old State House Museum
Old State House Museum
Little Rock/(501) 324-9685
www.oldstatehouse.com
Built in 1836, the Old State House was the Arkansas Capitol until 1911. This National Historic Landmark, the oldest standing capitol building west of the Mississippi River, served as the backdrop for both of President Bill Clinton's election night victory speeches. Inside are six period rooms, exhibits on Arkansas' first families, two legislative chambers and more. Guided tours are available daily.
Plantation Agriculture Museum
Scott/(501) 961-1409
www.arkansasstateparks.com/plantationagriculturemuseum
About 30 minutes from Little Rock, the Plantation Agriculture Museum in Scott interprets the history of cotton agriculture from 1836 to World War II through exhibits and programs. See early cultivation tools, rare cotton gins and the newly opened seed warehouse. A variety of special events and workshops are also held throughout the year.
Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts
20919 Denny Road, Little Rock
(501) 821-7275/www.wildwoodpark.org
Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts is the largest park dedicated to the performing arts in the South. The annual Wildwood Festival in June features opera, jazz, cabaret, blues, gospel, big band, dance and literary artists who perform in the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre.
William J. Clinton Presidential Center
Little Rock/(501) 370-8000
www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org
The William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park encompasses a museum, presidential archives and educational and research facilities. The museum features an exact replica of the Oval Office and a Cabinet Room complete with multiple computer stations to create an interactive experience for each guest.
Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center
Little Rock/(501) 907-0636
www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com
In the heart of the city, this museum provides guests with a glimpse of Arkansas' great outdoors. Exhibits showcase the role of fish and wildlife management in the state, and the museum's location along the Arkansas River allows visitors to see wildlife firsthand. Visitors can also explore the Arkansas River Trail, which crosses the site, as well as visit the aquariums, gift shop and theater.
River Valley
Arkansas River Valley Arts Center
1001 E. B St., Russellville
(479) 968-2452/www.arvartscenter.org
The Arkansas River Valley Arts Center offers art exhibitions, educational programs and concerts. The center also sponsors artistic and cultural events throughout the area.
Center for Art and Education
104 N. 13th St., Van Buren
(479) 474-7767/www.art-ed.org
Housed in the historic St. Michael's Catholic Church, the Center for Art and Education offers a wide range of educational programs. Tours, lectures, gallery talks and hands-on class activities for children and adults helps create a deeper appreciation of the visual arts. An updated program schedule is available online.
Fort Smith Arts Center
423 N. Sixth St., Fort Smith
(479) 784-2787/www.fortsmithartcenter.org
Located in the 1879 Vaughn-Schaap Home in Belle Grove Historic District, the Fort Smith Arts Center showcases the work of local and regional artists in revolving exhibits and competitions. The Art Center's Gift Gallery offers original paintings, sculptures, jewelry and hand-thrown pottery.
Fort Smith Little Theatre
401 N. Sixth St., Fort Smith
(479) 783-2966/www.fslt.org
Bringing live theater to western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma since 1947, the Fort Smith Little Theatre is known as "Arkansas' oldest continuously operating community theatre." Seasonal and special performances are available throughout the year.
The Delta
Arkansas Post Museum State Park
Gillett/(870) 548-2634
www.arkansasstateparks.com/arkansaspostmuseum
Located on the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Mississippi River Valley, the center of a multi-nation struggle for dominance of the fur trade, this complex of five exhibit buildings depicts the history of Arkansas' Grand Prairie and Delta. The museum includes exhibits of domestic tools, children's furnishings and toys and two buildings original to the Grand Prairie.
Arkansas State University Museum
110 Cooley Drive, State University
(870) 972-2074/www.museum.astate.edu
The ASU Museum features exhibits on the natural history and cultural heritage of the Mississippi River Delta region. The College of Fine Arts features music and theater performances throughout the year.
The Delta Cultural Center
Delta Cultural Center
Helena/(870) 338-4350
www.deltaculturalcenter.com
Designed to interpret and preserve the history of the Delta, this complex is comprised of two museums -- the Depot and the Visitors Center. The Depot showcases the history of the Delta, including a Civil War exhibit, and the Visitors Center features "Delta Sounds" music exhibit, a live radio studio and the Museum Store.
Hampson Archeological Museum State Park
Wilson/(870) 655-8622
www.arkansasstateparks.com/hampsonmuseum
This museum boasts a nationally-renowned collection of artifacts from the Nodena site, a 15-acre village that thrived between 1400 to 1650 A.D. on a stretch of the Mississippi River. It also includes a virtual museum with 3-D digital artifacts and 3-D visualizations of the Upper Nodena Village to show what the site may have looked like during its time of occupation.
Hemingway Pfeiffer Museum
Piggott/(870) 598-3487
hemingway.astate.edu
The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center includes a barn studio where American author Ernest Hemingway composed many of his works. The museum also includes the home of Hemingway's second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer, whose family was prominent in northeast Arkansas. The properties have been renovated to focus on the 1930s era.
Lakeport Plantation
Lakeport Plantation
Lake Village/(870) 265-6031
lakeport.astate.edu/Index.html
There's only one place that can give you a real glimpse of antebellum plantation life in the Natural State – Lakeport Plantation Home in Lake Village. The house, built around 1859 for Lycurgus and Lydia Johnson, is the only remaining one of its kind on the Mississippi River. It is now owned and operated by Arkansas State University as a museum with guided tours Monday - Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Lower White River Museum State Park
Des Arc/(870) 256-3711
www.arkansasstateparks.com/lowerwhiterivermuseum
Come learn about the importance of Arkansas' White River as a vital source of transportation for early settlers. The museum features life-sized figures of settlers who introduce themselves via audio using dialog taken from oral history records and slave narratives. It also houses many exhibits and artifacts as well as a replica of a late 1800s dogtrot log cabin.
Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie
Stuttgart/(870) 673-7001
www.grandprairiemuseum.org
This museum showcases the history of agriculture and pioneers who farmed the Grand Prairie, waterfowlers, the history of rice milling, crop dusting and fish farming. Highlights include the lights and sounds of the "Early Morning Duck Hunt on the Grand Prairie," a one-of-a-kind "Coat of Many Feathers," pottery by Native Americans, 500 award-winning game calls and more.
Parkin Archeological State Park
Parkin/(870) 755-2500
www.arkansasstateparks.com/parkinarcheological
Only one large platform mound from the Native Americans between A.D. 1000 to 1550 remains in northeast Arkansas, and guests can visit it at the Parkin Archeological State Park. Visitors can watch research in progress and see firsthand the results of careful excavations and laboratory analysis. The park also includes an exhibit area, auditorium, gift shop, picnic area, playground and 1910 Northern Ohio one-room schoolhouse.
The Forum
115 E. Monroe St., Jonesboro
(870) 935-2726/www.jonesborofoa.com
The Forum is Jonesboro's civic auditorium that hosts concerts, plays, seminars, pageants, town meetings and more.
The Ouachitas
Hot Springs Music Festival
634 Prospect Ave., Hot Springs
(501) 623-4763/www.hotmusic.org
The Hot Springs Music Festival pairs world-class mentor musicians from major orchestras, chamber ensembles and conservatory faculties with especially talented pre-professional apprentices. The two groups play "side by side" in orchestral, chamber, solo recital, vocal, choral and chamber opera repertoire. For two weeks, these musicians present 20 concerts and more than 250 open rehearsals.
Mena Depot Center
524 Sherwood, Mena
(479) 394-2912/www.gomenaarkansas.com/attractions.asp
This restored train depot now serves as a museum highlighting the history of Mena and the surrounding area. The depot, restored in 1987, is home to a 1939 Dodge poilce car in addition to artwork and memorabilia.
The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs
610-A Central Ave., Hot Springs
(501) 624-0489/www.hsfac.com
The Fine Arts Center showcases the work of local artists in its gallery, with the works ranging from watercolors and pottery to oil painting and glass. The center also holds a variety of community workshops for artists.
The Gangster Museum of America
Hot Springs/(501) 623-2214
www.tgmoa.com
Get an account of how some of the most infamous criminals in America co-existed with the quaint population of Hot Springs. Capone, Luciano, Sigel Maxine and the rest of the gang are waiting for you in four galleries featuring high-tech audiovisual exhibits. Visitors can also play in the antique casino.
The Ozarks
Arkansas Air Museum
Fayetteville/(479) 521-4947
www.arkairmuseum.org
Housed in the former headquarters for one of the nation's aviator training posts during WWII, the Arkansas Air Museum displays exhibits that range from the golden age of aviation to the jet age. Among the exhibits are famous racing planes, an early jetliner, Vietnam-era Army helicopters and a Navy carrier fighter.
Arts Center of the Ozarks
214 S. Main St., Springdale
(479) 751-5441/www.artscenteroftheozarks.org
The Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale offers a full year of productions, from musicals and dramas to art exhibitions and concerts. Classes are also available for children and adults.
North Arkansas Symphony
605 W. Dickson Street, Fayetteville
(479) 521-4166/www.nasymphony.org
The orchestra produces a series of masterworks, as well as pops and family concerts presented between October and May in Baum Walker Hall at the Walton Arts Center and Arend Arts Center in Bentonville. Concert tickets are available from the Walton Arts Center box office at (479) 443-5600.
Opera in the Ozarks
16311 Highway 62 W., Eureka Springs
(479) 253-8595/www.opera.org
Opera in the Ozarks has been called one of the top five opera festivals in the world and each summer (June-July) mounts more than 25 performances featuring fabulous young artists. Festival alumni sing in all the leading opera houses. Updated information is on the Web site.
Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park
Prairie Grove/(479) 846-2990
www.arkansasstateparks.com/prairiegrovebattlefield
The site of the last major Civil War engagement in northwest Arkansas is protected by the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. Visitors can walk along the ridge and in the valley where the heaviest fighting took place, take the one-mile Battlefield Trail, travel the five-mile Driving Tour, visit the Battlefield Museum and tour the historic structures in the Ozark village. The park also hosts Arkansas' largest battle re-enactment biennially.
Rogers Little Theater
116 S. Second St., Rogers
(479) 631-8988/www.rogerslittletheater.com
Housed in the historic Victory Theater, The Rogers Little Theater features main stage performances, concerts, children's productions, special events and more.
Sager Creek Arts Center
301 E. Twin Springs, Siloam Springs
(479) 524-4000/www.sagercreekartscenter.com
This center stages numerous community theater productions, including musicals and dinner theater shows. Art exhibitions, workshops and concerts are also offered.
The Great Passion Play
935 Passion Play Road, Eureka Springs
(479) 253-8559/www.greatpassionplay.com
The Great Passion Play takes visitors back 2,000 years to the final days of Jesus Christ's walk on earth. The season is open from April through the last Saturday in October.
Wal-Mart Visitors Center
Bentonville/(479) 273-1329
The Wal-Mart Visitors Center, a red and white building on the square in Bentonville, features exhibits that trace the formation and growth of Wal-Mart stores. The center is located on the spot of Sam Walton's first variety store. Exhibits include Walton's truck and an exact model of his office.
Walton Arts Center
495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville
(479) 443-5600/www.waltonartscenter.org
Walton Arts Center is Arkansas' largest and busiest center for the performing arts and entertainment. Each year more than 140,000 people enjoy Broadway musicals, dance, jazz, world music, children's and family programming and much more. A non-profit arts organization, Walton Arts Center also serves more than 20,000 students and teachers from 30 school districts through arts learning programs.
Timberlands
Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame
1 Convention Center Plaza, Pine Bluff
(870) 536-7600/www.pinebluffcvb.org
Trace the careers of some of Arkansas' best-known performers at the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. Memorabilia includes items owned by Al Green, Levon Helm, Billy Bob Thornton, Jerry Van Dyke, Ronnie Dunn, Gil Gerard and other famous Arkansans.
Arkansas Railroad Museum
Pine Bluff/(870) 535-8819
www.geocities.com/TheTropics/8199/cb819.html
This museum features Engine 819, a mighty locomotive built in 1942 that ruled the railways for a dozen years before being replaced by diesel locomotives. Engine 819 is now on display at its birth place, along with Engine 336, a full-scale inside-the-building railroad depot and displays of railroad memorabilia.
Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas
701 Main St., Pine Bluff
(870) 536-3375/www.ArtsScienceCenter.org
This 22,000-square foot facility offers three art galleries, a science gallery, a theater and a studio classroom.
Historic Washington State Park
Washington/(870) 983-2684
www.historicwashingtonstatepark.com
Washington is home to more than 30 restored historic structures, including classic examples of Southern Greek Revival and Federal architecture, Gothic Revival, Italianate and more. As a National Historical Landmark, a National Register of Historic Places site and an Arkansas state park, this town also includes collections of antiques, guns and knives, guides in period attire and a surrey to ride around town.
Perot Theatre
219 Main St., Texarkana
(903) 792-4992/www.trahc.org
Opened in 1924, the theater was fully restored to Italian Renaissance opulence in 1981 with assistance from native son H. Ross Perot and sister Bette. The theater hosts world-class performing artists, Tony-Award winning Broadway theater, symphony orchestras, music from the hottest musicians, dances from Moscow ballets to Savion Glover and more.
President Clinton's first home
President Bill Clinton's First Home Museum & Exhibit Center
Hope/(870) 777-4455
Guests can visit President Bill Clinton's first home, which has been restored to depict Clinton's life as a child. The Museum Store offers some of his recommended reading, memorabilia and crafts from around the world from Clinton's Global Initiative and Fair Trade Federation. An archive including personal papers and ephemera from local individuals concerning their work or reminiscences about Clinton and his childhood family is also underway.
South Arkansas Arts Center
110 E. Fifth St., El Dorado
(870) 862-5474/www.saac-arts.org
The South Arkansas Arts Center houses a 206-seat auditorium, three visual arts galleries and more. Classes are provided for children and adults in visual arts, photography, drama, ballet and music. Touring shows and community plays are performed each year.
Texarkana Regional Arts Center
321 W. Fourth St., Texarkana
(903) 792-8681/www.trahc.org
Celebrating 100 years, this adaptively restored center features vaulted arches, marble floors, a stunning Great Hall and brass/copper cage elevator. Houses 12 months of national touring exhibits plus local/regional art works.