Crystal Bridges: The First Decade

On November 11, 2011, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened its doors for the first time. Over the course of a decade, the museum has greeted over five million visitors from all over the world to enjoy world-class art, architecture, and nature. 2021 marks a decade since Crystal Bridges opened, and the museum is recognizing this milestone with a new exhibition celebrating its collection and community. Crystal Bridges: The First Decade will highlight the museum’s art collection and engage artists and the Northwest Arkansas community in unexpected ways while the exhibition is on view.

The exhibition features 10 distinct experiences inviting visitors to see 40+ works of art from the Crystal Bridges collection, spanning the nineteenth century to the present, and explore these works through a range of engaging, creative approaches. “Step into” Maxfield Parrish’s The Lantern Bearers with an immersive tableau vivant. See self-portraits by local students presented side-by-side with artist self-portraits from the collection. Watch an artist create a new artwork in the galleries. Experience nature indoors in an immersive installation merging art and nature. Revisit artworks from past exhibitions organized by Crystal Bridges, juxtaposed to tell new stories, and so much more.

In a spectacular celebration of art brought to life from voices both within and beyond the museum, Crystal Bridges: The First Decade will revel in Crystal Bridges’ first 10 years and set the precedent for the decade to come.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website