Looking Ahead: The Crystal Bridges Expansion with Moira Anderson

A museum can add square footage without changing how people feel inside it. Crystal Bridges is doing the opposite. We talk with Moira Anderson, Director of Public Programs for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary, about the June 6-7 opening that doubles gallery space and introduces a major new Learning and Engagement Hub built for rest, play, and hands-on creativity. If you have ever thought, “Museums aren’t for me,” this conversation is for you!We get into what’s actually new: studio spaces including ceramics, a community lounge that welcomes you before you ever pick up a brochure, and performance and gathering rooms that make the museum feel like a place to stay, not just pass through. Moira explains why access means more than free admission, and how drop-in art making is designed for the person who has never touched a paintbrush, the family member who gets tired halfway through, and the first-time visitor who needs a clear signal that they belong. Then we preview the celebration weekend: creating alongside artists, a bike-powered pottery wheel, screen printing, and musicians from Jazz at Lincoln Center performing among the artworks and in the new Commons. We also talk about Bentonville, Arkansas as a fast-growing destination, the way Crystal Bridges blends art, architecture, and the Ozark landscape, and how programming connects across Crystal Bridges and the Momentary, including what’s coming next at the Momentary. If you’re planning a trip or looking for the best things to do in Bentonville, this will help you map a day that feels inspiring instead of exhausting. Subscribe, share this with a friend who “isn’t an art person,” and leave a review with the part of the museum experience you wish every city had.A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.