Current Exhibits

Collecting Arkansas Made

Collecting Arkansas Made is a multi-year exhibition that shares some of the exceptional Arkansas Made objects added to the museum’s collection between 2018-2023. These ‘new-to-us’ acquisitions include items that form the foundation of the museum’s historical collection—19th century furniture, miniature portraits, pottery, firearms and quilts—plus fine and decorative arts from the 20th century and objects made by artists and artisans who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary craft.
Many of the pieces on display will be switched out at regular intervals, so follow HAM’s Facebook and Instagram pages for updates and deep-dives!

Opening in the Horace C. Cabe Gallery May 10, 2024.

Arkansas Made: Photographs by Rett Peek
2nd Floor Gallery

Over several years, Rett Peek worked as the principal photographer for the second edition of Historic Arkansas Museum’s recently-published “Arkansas Made Vol. I & II.” Collectors granted Rett access to their homes and welcomed him into small-town historical societies, university collections, and many other unique spaces to capture images of Arkansas treasures. He traversed the state, venturing into almost every county to photograph local vernacular architecture. In the end, over one thousand of his images appear in the new books.

This exhibit celebrates Rett’s impressive achievement by sharing a small selection of his artful photographs, with a focus on items in Historic Arkansas Museum’s collection. We hope you will recognize a few old favorites, discover a handful of objects rarely seen on exhibit, and walk away inspired to explore the latest edition of Arkansas Made.

Permanent Exhibits

Sturgis Children’s Gallery

This hands-on gallery is designed especially for kids 4–10 years old. Based on the museum’s historic site, children can interact with all the things they see but can’t touch on the grounds tour: use a skeleton key to unlock the front door of a period-inspired playhouse, pick plush vegetables from a mini garden, pump a bellow to stoke a cooking fire, dress up in 19th century clothing and play with puppets in the puppet theater.

The Knife Gallery

When Historic Arkansas Museum’s Knife Gallery opened in 2001, it was the first gallery in the country dedicated to the history of the bowie knife and the forged blade in America. The recently updated gallery stays true to its roots, with plenty of information about Arkansas knifemaker James Black and the 200-year evolution of “a knife like Bowie’s.” Over 50 remarkable blades are on display, including the famous Bowie No. 1 (c. 1830). Visitors will be captivated by modern bowies and the historical knives that inspired them, plus a selection of exceptional contemporary custom knives made by master bladesmiths.