Crystal Bridges opens 114,000-square-foot expansion this weekend

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville will open to the public its 114,000-square-foot expansion on Saturday (June 6) and Sunday (June 7). The project, designed by Safdie Architects, expanded the 200,000-square-foot museum by about 50%.

It was announced in April 2021. A cost for the expansion was not disclosed.

The expanded museum introduces two new art galleries, including a large space for temporary exhibitions featuring a bespoke skylight system. Also new is a creative learning hub (the Hub) with educational spaces, community gathering areas and galleries, artist-in-residence studios, a digital art studio, a ceramics studio and artmaking spaces.

The first exhibition in the new temporary exhibition space will be “Keith Haring in 3D,” opening on Saturday. The exhibition will showcase Haring’s sculptures, totems and masks, skateboards, clothing, boomboxes, paintings, drawings and a 1963 Buick Special. The new exhibition space enhances Crystal Bridges’ ability to host multiple temporary exhibitions at once.

A new Contemporary American Art Gallery will include works such as Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room, Teresita Fernández’s “Manigua” (Mirror). The two galleries are connected by a bridge that provides additional space for art. The bridge also has a 40-seat café, Quartz + Honey, offering unobstructed views of the 5 acres of surrounding landscape, including streams, gardens, trails and a 15,000-square-foot pond.

“Crystal Bridges has always been rooted in the belief that art can expand how we see ourselves, one another and the world around us,” said Olivia Walton, board chair of Crystal Bridges. “This next chapter deepens that vision – creating spaces that invite curiosity, creativity and connection at every turn. By bringing art, architecture, nature, wellness and education into closer dialogue across the campus, we are continuing to push the boundaries of what a cultural institution can be. The expansion not only broadens access to extraordinary works of American art but also strengthens the museum’s role as a place where people can gather, learn, reflect and experience the transformative power of art in community.”

Extending the museum’s original looped circulation, the addition completes a figure-eight across two stream-fed ponds within the surrounding ravine and introduces a new north entrance that provides multilevel access to the museum and grounds. Building on Safdie Architects’ original design, it is inspired by the region’s natural setting and building traditions. The expansion features exposed southern yellow pine beams, sloping roof forms with extended overhangs, expansive floor-to-ceiling glass and copper cladding, and a series of porches overlooking the landscape.

“The inauguration of this second phase marks the culmination of a two-decade collaboration – an evolving dialogue between architect, patron and institution – that has shaped not only a building but a shared vision for what a museum can be,” said Moshe Safdie, founding partner of Safdie Architects. “Beyond broadening its program, the expansion extends and deepens the museum’s connection to nature – embedding new spaces for community, learning and the display of art within an architectural language shaped by the region’s terrain. We have been delighted by the public’s response to the integration of art and nature and look forward to visitors experiencing the expanded museum.”

As part of the expansion, existing galleries have changed, and nearly every work of art in the museum was moved, including those in the Visions of America Galleries, which include Tiffany Studios’ “Mountain Landscape” (Root Memorial Window), Nari Ward’s “We the People” (black version), Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter.” Visitors can see nearly 600 works from the museum’s permanent collection of more than 4,100 works, including nearly 200 works on view for the first time and dozens of recent artist commissions completed over the past two years.

All gallery spaces will feature Indigenous art and craft objects. The museum has acquired and commissioned contemporary Indigenous art including Kent Monkman’s “Saving the Newcomers.” This is part of the museum’s commitment to championing historically underrepresented artists and expanding the narrative of American art.

“We’re excited to welcome everyone to the Crystal Bridges expansion,” said Rod Bigelow, executive director of Crystal Bridges. “This project represents an extraordinary undertaking for the museum, not only expanding our physical space, but shaping a renewed campus where architecture and nature work in close dialogue. We have carefully moved, stewarded, and reinstalled nearly every work of art in our collection with intention and care.”

On display through the end of July is “America 250: Common Threads,” honoring the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The exhibition features historical documents, textiles, paintings, toys and artwork from 1776 to today, with highlights including an early engraving of the Declaration of Independence, Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 American flag from 1969, and a copy of The Federalist papers from 1788.

Since opening in 2011, the museum at 600 Museum Way has welcomed more than 15 million visitors across its spaces. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a public 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization by philanthropist Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks, from early American to the present day. Museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library, and 5 miles of art and walking trails.

The museum is part of a 134-acre campus that includes the Heartland Whole Health Institute and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. They opened in May 2025 and July 2025, respectively. In February 2020, the museum opened the Momentary at 507 S.E. E St., a venue for present-day music, art and food.