crystal bridges museum of american art, bentonville, arkansas

"I think my parents spent a lot of time growing up…talking about the importance of giving back…and give back an important part of you into the community." -Alice Walton

Drew and I had the ultimate pleasure of attending opening day of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on Saturday. Needless to say we were blown away, utterly impressed and excited for Northwest Arkansas. Crystal Bridges, which spans a creek called Crystal Spring, is surrounded by 120 acres of wooded land but is within walking distance of the Bentonville town square. The Wall Street Journal reported that Crystal Bridge's is being bankrolled to the tune of $1.2 billion by heirs to the Walton family, notably Alice Walton (age 62), one of the world's richest women (estimated worth of $20.9 billion). The Walton Family has ensured that museum admission be free for the lifetime of the museum.

 

Clockwise from top left: Rosie the Riveter (1943), Norman Rockwell. Day Shift (1943), Francis Criss. George Washington (1797), Gilbert Stuart. Still Life with Mirror (1972), Roy Lichtenstein. Dolly Parton (1985), Andy Warhol. Hall of the Mountain King (ca. 1908-1909), Marsden Hartley.

the Great Hall, including a cafe and full service restaurant

After the Last Supper by Devorah Sperber. A life-size reconstruction of da Vinci's 1498 mural. Made from 20,736 spools of thread hanging from ball-chain. The image is inverted but when viewed through the lens positioned in front of the work it rights itself.

CBS Sunday Morning featured a profile of Alice Walton this past Sunday.