The Museum was founded by arts patron Alice Walton, daughter of Sam Walton who started Wal~Mart. The Museum pavilions were designed by architect Moshe Safdie and Crystal Bridges is currently adding additional galleries also designed by Safdie.
The galleries are arranged in chronological order that allows the visitor to experience "time travel" through the art. Here are a few works that really caught my eye:
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| "It Is very Queer, Isn't It?" (1885) By James Henry Beard |
Beard's painting is a portrait of the well-known chimpanzee, Mr. Crowley, who lived at the Central Park Zoo from 1884-1888. The inclusion of Darwin's 1871 Descent of Man and Pythagoras's Theory of Metampsychosis makes this painting more than a portrait. It encourages viewers (and chimpanzees) to ponder theories of evolution.
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| [Murals ca. 1920-1913] By Edward Steichen |
Edward Steichen painted these mural panels in an Art Nouveau style.
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| "Big Red Lens" (1985) By Frederick Eversley |
The center of this shape is the acoustic and optical focal point, where sound is amplified and light is bent, creating the fish-eye lens effect.
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| "Infinity Mirrored Room―My Heart is Dancing into the Universe" By Yayoi Kusama |
This small room is filled with mirrors and paper lanterns that have dots that change color. It appears like the dots expand forever into the universe.
Another interesting museum in Bentonville is the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden. The house is decorated with pieces from the late 1800s providing insight into what life was like in Bentonville at that time.
The Peel Museum is considered an example of Italianate style that was popular in Arkansas from the 1840s to 1890s.
Samuel West Peel bought the land in 1872. In 1875, the house was completed, and the family moved in. It totaled 14 rooms and had two stories plus a basement and tower.
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| Peel’s Study |
Above collage:
Top photos: Wedding dress & Girls' Bedroom
Bottom photos: Boys' Bedroom & Samuel's and Mary Emaline’s Master Bedroom
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| Outdoor Kitchen |
We're leaving Arkansas to head back to Texas. Hopefully we will see some more fall color along the way.