Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton, officially opened in November 2011.
Designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the 200,000-square-foot museum gets its name from nearby Crystal Spring and from the bridge-like buildings. There are six art galleries, a library, a café, a glass-enclosed gathering hall, education studios, a museum store and a connected 260-space, two-level parking structure. Additionally, there are outdoor areas for concerts and public events, as well as extensive nature trails that meander throughout the woods surrounding the facility.
The museum's permanent collection features American art from the Colonial era to contemporary work. The Walton Foundation provided $1.2 billion to purchase artwork, and the museum contains a significant collection of American art from the 1650s to the present. WalMart has provided a $20 million endowment so that admission will be free to the public in perpetuity. Crystal Bridges has instantly become one of the preeminent American Art Museums in the country.
