Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts facts for kids
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| Former name | Arkansas Arts Center |
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| Established | October 5, 1937 |
| Location | MacArthur Park, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Type | Art museum |
| Founder | Fine Arts Club of Arkansas |
| Architect |
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| Owner | Government of Little Rock |
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) is a cool art museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. It's located in MacArthur Park. This museum used to be called the Arkansas Arts Center.
AMFA has a huge collection of art that you can see all the time. They also have special art shows that change. Besides art, the museum has a library for research and classrooms for art lessons. You can even grab a bite to eat at their restaurant or find unique gifts in the shop. Many parts of the museum, like the main hall, can be rented for special events. In 2011, Arkansas.com said it was one of the top 10 places to visit in the state!
Contents
Discovering the Art Collection
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts has a special collection of art. They focus on drawings and modern craft items. Drawings are unique artworks made on paper.
Famous Artists and Their Works
The museum has art by very famous artists. These include Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, and Edgar Degas. You can also see works by Andrew Wyeth and Odilon Redon. The collection also features many important artists from the late 1900s and today. These artists include Susan Hauptman, Gregory Gillespie, and William Beckman.
One special part of the collection is a group of drawings and watercolors by Paul Signac. Many of these are on display in a gallery just for his art.
Exciting Shows and Exhibitions
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts hosts several fun art shows each year. These shows highlight different types of art and artists.
The Delta Exhibition
AMFA holds the Annual Delta Exhibition. This is a special show for artists from Arkansas and nearby states. These states include Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The show started in 1958. It features new art by artists who live in or were born in the Mississippi Delta region.
Annual Collectors Show & Sale
The museum also hosts an Annual Collectors Show & Sale. For this event, museum experts bring in drawings from galleries across the country. This lets local art lovers see works they might not usually find. It also lets everyone see art from many modern artists.
Young Arkansas Artists Show
A competition for local school children happens every year. The Young Arkansas Artists show displays art from students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Prizes and special mentions are given for amazing artwork. Schools with winning entries get money to help their art programs.
National Drawing Invitational
The museum also organizes its National Drawing Invitational sometimes. This show helps people appreciate drawing as an art form. It also helps everyone learn more about the skill of draftsmanship in modern art.
Fun at the Children's Theater
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts has a Children's Theatre. It's known as one of the best theater groups for kids in America. It's the only professional group in Arkansas that performs children's stories on stage.
The Children's Theater is very popular. They put on plays of classic children's tales. This theater gives kids a chance to watch live shows. It also lets them take part in stage productions themselves!
Learning at the Museum School
The Museum School at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts offers many art classes. You can learn different art skills there.
Classes and Workshops
Classes are available in things like life drawing, ceramics, photography, and woodworking. You can also learn to make jewelry. The school also has workshops led by visiting artists. There are special art classes just for children too.
Student Art Sale
Each year, the school holds a sale of student artwork. This sale happens on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It's a great chance to see and buy art made by students.
The Museum's Amazing Architecture
The museum first opened in 1937. It was built in the Art Deco style. This building was designed by architect H. Ray Burks. It was part of a project by the Works Progress Administration.
Original Design and Features
The original building is in MacArthur Park. It has a front made of limestone. This front was designed by Little Rock artist Benjamin D. Brantley. It also features two carved figures. These figures represent Painting and Sculpture.
Modern Renovation and Expansion
Over many years, the museum grew. It became a group of eight buildings. These buildings were built at different times and had different styles. In 2016, a design firm called Studio Gang was chosen to redesign the museum. They worked with a landscape architect named SCAPE.
The new design fixed up and reused as many of the old buildings as possible. This helped save their most energy-intensive parts. A new main section was added. It has a curved concrete shape and a folded roof. This new part connects the whole building. It also helps visitors move easily through the museum.
The new section opens up at both ends. This creates new entrances and public spaces. These spaces connect the museum to the park and the city. The original Art Deco front of the museum had been hidden by earlier additions. Now, it's back as the main entrance!
The big renovation cost $142 million. It was finished in April 2023. The museum has had a record number of visitors since then. In its first year after the renovation, over 155,000 guests from 18 countries visited!
More Places to Explore
- Community Gallery at the Terry House
- MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
- Old State House Museum
- William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
