Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, reopened in 2022 after a major rebuilding, is the most significant cultural institution in the state. The collection spans five centuries and includes paintings, sculpture, and a particularly deep holding of works on paper — drawings and watercolours by Monet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, and a strong American modernist section.

The new building by Studio Gang replaces the 1963 original with a dramatic undulating zinc roof that flows through MacArthur Park. The restaurant and café inside the museum are worth stopping at even if you don't go through the full collection.

Admission charged for the permanent collection; some programming is free. Closed Mondays. MacArthur Park, 9th and Commerce.

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The museum (formerly the Arkansas Arts Center) was rebuilt and reopened in 2022 after a $142 million renovation, making it one of the most significant new museum spaces in the South. The works-on-paper collection is particularly strong — over 14,000 drawings, watercolours, and prints, among the best such collections in the United States.

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