LITTLE ROCK (August 26, 2019) — In honor of the 80th Annual Arkansas State Fair, the Old State House Museum will feature two fair-themed exhibits beginning Oct. 5.
Through memorable images and fair memorabilia, “80 Blue Ribbon Years: Cotton to Cattle” takes visitors from the early days of the fair to the building of Barton Coliseum. The exhibit highlights how the Arkansas State Fair changed the state’s agricultural focus from cotton to livestock.
This is a sneak peek at a larger state fair-themed exhibit planned for next year thanks to a generous donation of artifacts from the Arkansas Livestock Show Association, the fair’s organizer.
In another gallery, the popular “Our Fair Ladies” exhibit, which includes gowns and pageant attire worn by rodeo and fair queens, will return for its second year.Both exhibits will remain open until the spring of 2020.
The Old State House Museum is located at 300 W. Markham in Little Rock. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free; the museum can validate parking at the DoubleTree hotel. Metered parking near the museum is free on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, call (501) 324-9685 or visit www.oldstatehouse.com.
The Old State House Museum is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and shares the goal of all eight Department of Arkansas Heritage divisions, that of preserving and enhancing the heritage of the state of Arkansas. The divisions are Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas State Archives, Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Old State House Museum.