Visiting Crystal Bridges -Things To Do With Kids In NWA

I went to Crystal Bridges for the first time this weekend. Seriously, my first time. Crazy right? A free activity in northwest Arkansas that has received worldwide acclaim and I've never been. We keep intending to go and it just keeps not happening. So this weekend I packed up the kiddo and we went.

It was awesome! My daughter was a little young for it, as I knew she would be, but she seemed to enjoy it anyway. If you're looking for something to do with or without kids in Northwest Arkansas, Crystal Bridges should be near the top of your list!

We went through it pretty quickly - much more quickly than the place warrants - but I wanted to let Fia go at her own pace. She liked looking at everything, though, and describing the pictures. She's entered this phase where she talks. All the time. She likes to talk to people and to describe things and she doesn't have any sort of filter at all. It's pretty cute and funny. When we're at home.

I don't remember what she said about everything, but here are some of the highlights. Click the quote to see the piece she was talking about.

She took her dress off. She's going swimming.

Oh, no! He dropped it. It's messy.

It's a monkey right there. He's drinking coffee. There's a scary face in there. (Scary faces are skulls. Not sure where the coffee comes in...)

She has a balloon! Can me see it? She has a chest. That is look like my mommy!

 

 And we left the gallery after that last one. I'm sure the other museum-goers appreciated that explanation. For the record the sculpture is lovely, but does not look like me. Also I don't twirl around naked with balloons. Just so there's no confusion.

After that we walked around outside for a while, but it was so hot and muggy that we didn't linger outside too long. But the little bit we saw was wonderful. We definitely need to come back when the weather is a bit milder.

I have to go inside because it's too hot. I'm too sweaty. See my armpits? My armpits are yucky.

So then we went inside to the Experience Art Studio, or as we call it, The Kids Part.



















I didn't get to take too many pictures there because I was too busy playing with my girl! It's a bright space with lots of light and silly monsters painted on the walls. They have lots of hands on activities: blocks, puppets, books, and a bunch of things I don't even know how to describe. And they have different simple art activities. That day they had sheets of sandpaper to color on. Fia thought that was weird and only wanted me to do it. But she loved coloring on the regular paper and looking at the art other kids had posted up on the wall.

All in all, we had a blast! I am so grateful to have such a wonderful place here in NWA. We will definitely be back!