Free Museum Days in Arkansas

Arkansas punches far above its weight on free museums, thanks largely to Walton-family philanthropy in the northwest corner of the state. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville — one of the most important art museums built this century — is free to everyone, every day, and its contemporary sister space, The Momentary, is free too. Little Rock answers with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (reopened in 2023 after a major rebuild), where even the special exhibitions are free. The one big recurring deal at a paid museum is in Bentonville as well: the Scott Family Amazeum, a hands-on children's museum, opens for pay-what-you-wish 'Priceless Nights' most Wednesday evenings.

Beyond those, the bigger Arkansas story is just how many museums never charge admission at all (see the always-free list below) — the state's Department of Arkansas Heritage runs a cluster of free museums in downtown Little Rock, and most university art museums are free as well. A few ways to save at the paid science centers: the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock and Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs both participate in Bank of America's 'Museums on Us' (free admission for cardholders the first full weekend of each month), and the Museum of Discovery offers $4 'Museums for All' admission to SNAP/EBT cardholders. Many Arkansas museums also join Blue Star Museums, offering free admission to active-duty military families from mid-May through Labor Day.

Prefer somewhere free every single day? Jump to the 9 always-free museums ↓