Weekend Escape to Crystal Bridges

 Escape to Crystal Bridges & The Momentary(Postponed)

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is delighted to invite the Collector's Circle to join our curatorial team for a behind the scenes tour of Bentonville, Arkansas, home of both Crystal Bridges and The Momentary. Your weekend away will be filled with the best, art, culture and cuisine in Bentonville. We will experience Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a breathtakingly designed institution in the Ozark foothills, examining both the acclaimed permanent collection and special exhibitions including Marie Bannerot McInerney: Trace Me Back, A Soldier's Journey and Danielle Hatch's All The Soarings In My Mind Begin In My Blood. Spanning 217,000 square feet, Crystal Bridges features a superb overview of American art from the colonial era to today, highlighting many works that embody the American spirit. We will also explore The Momentary, an inviting communal space that combines stunning contemporary visuals with performing and culinary arts by engaging with exhibitions and artworks from around the world. The first work commissioned for the space was Sway, an arrow pattern piece by Addie Roanhorse. This artwork pays homage to the land around the building and is inspired by the Osage Nation of which Roanhorse is a member. You Belong Here, a giant site responsive sculpture activated daily at dusk by Tavares Stratchan welcomes all. During our visit we will view Enduring Amazon: Life and Afterlife in the Rainforest, an exhibition focusing on the Amazon rainforest and its delicate interconnection with our lives.

As we guide you through this charming small town, we'll continue with a curator-led tour of the Massey Hotel. Built in 1910 as part of Renaissance Revival architecture, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was purchased by the Waltons in 1977 after a fire, and previously housed some of the art now at Crystal Bridges. We will dine at some of the South West Arkansas' finest new restaurants, including Conifer, an award-winning farm-to-table restaurant founded by James Beard nominee Matthew Cooper. In addition to supporting local farmers, the restaurant also offers locally sourced ingredients on its farmstand, which is open to the public throughout the year.  Just one of the few restaurants we will dine at with a local mindset.

We will spend our weekend at the 4-star 21c Museum Hotel located on the corner of the town square in Bentonville. Designed by renowned American architect Deborah Berke, the building's contemporary exterior is designed to blend in with the Bentoville town square. It is within walking distance of the Crystal Bridges Museum off the Slaughter Pen Trail. When you arrive you will be greeted by pieces from the permanent collection, which includes two dramatic pieces called Orange Tree. In addition to luxury accommodations, the hotel boasts exhibition space totaling 12,000 square feet. Art ties into every corner of the hotel and will be a part of your art experience. After you've checked in, you can get up close with A Sudden Gust of Wind, another hotel site-specific installation.

Your Nelson-Atkins contact is Sara Hale (shale@nelson-atkins.org or 816-751-0426, office phone). Your Artful tour contact is Latasha Thomas (latasha@artfuljaunts.com or 781-658-2270, office phone).

The Bentonville Experience is priced at $2467 per person in a double room sharing and $3136 for a single traveler and includes all transportation, lodging, and specific meals during your trip. This trip is limited to 20 guests and your booking is requested by March 5, 2024. A minimum of 14 guests is required to operate this trip.

No refund will be provided for cancellations the trip's start date is within sixty days. If the museum has another patron to fill a spot a substitution will be allowed. After the trip has commenced, no refunds are available, even if the client does not partake in all of the trip's activities or leaves the trip early. We highly recommend trip insurance offered when booking.

All programming may change and is subject to availability of hosts, collectors and artists.

Book Crystal Bridges