Notable theaters, museums and art galleries dot the map all across Metro Little Rock, making for a vibrant arts scene. Whether you want to make your on-stage debut, volunteer as a docent or just sit in the audience and soak it all in, there are a number of ways to make your mark on Metro Little Rock’s cultural landscape.

Museums

Arkansas Arts Center
501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock
(501) 372-4000
Featuring works by van Gogh and Picasso, the AAC is internationally known for its extensive and renowned collection of works on paper. The AAC also features an art school, children’s theatre, restaurant and gift shop.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
120 Riverfront Park Drive, North Little Rock
(501) 371-8320
Its most notable feature is the USS Razorback submarine, but the museum also houses a theater, exhibits and programs relaying the impact of maritime trade, the inland waterways system, the Arkansas River and
Arkansas aquaculture.

Arkansas National Guard Museum
Camp Robinson, Lloyd England Building,
North Little Rock
(501) 212-5215
The museum tells the story of the Arkansas National Guard, from the post’s establishment in 1917 and its militia roots to its participation in the current global war on terror. Displays include two large-scale models of the post in the WWI and WWII eras, weapons, vehicles, airplane models and more.

Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
3 Verizon Arena Way, North Little Rock
(501) 663-4328
The museum salutes the state’s coaching legends and the more than 360 Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees and gives a historical look at Arkansas sports, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf and racing; one of Mark Martin’s first racecars is on display.

Arkansas Studies Institute
401 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock
(501) 320-5700
The institute houses former governors’ administrative papers, editorial cartoons, photographs, paintings by natives, early maps and one of the best Civil War collections in the state.

EMOBA-The Museum of Black Arkansans & Performing Arts Center
1208 S. Louisiana St., Little Rock
(501) 372-6093
EMOBA, the first incorporated Black History Museum & Performing Arts Center in the state, is dedicated to preserving the heritage and culture of black Arkansans. The musuem hosts changing exhibits exploring the African-American experience in Arkansas.

Heifer Village
1 World Ave., Little Rock
(501) 907-2697
More than 80 inspiring interactive exhibits explore the solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems; guests can tour Heifer’s green headquarters and restored wetlands. Visit the website to see all current activities, fees and hours.

Historic Arkansas Museum
200 E. Third St., Little Rock
(501) 324-9351
The Historic Arkansas Museum has seven galleries of Arkansas-made art and artifacts and an interactive children’s gallery. Guests can take a guided tour through five pre-Civil War buildings preserved on the museum’s campus or peruse the museum store for Arkansas-made items. Admission is free; fee for guided tours.

Jacksonville Museum of Military History
100 Veteran’s Circle, Jacksonville
(501) 241-1943
The museum, located on the site of the administration building of the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant during World War II, includes many special exhibits and a media presentation and research room.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
2120 W. Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive,
Little Rock
(501) 374-1957
Interactive exhibits discuss the struggle for civil rights at a visitor center adjacent to the school, which became a battleground in the desegregation crisis of 1957.

MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock
(501) 376-4602
Housed in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal, this museum commemorates the state’s military history from the territorial period to the present. Permanent exhibits depict the Jeep’s impact on WWII and the Little Rock Arsenal’s role during the Civil War.

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
501 W. Ninth St., Little Rock
(501) 683-3593
This state-of-the-art facility houses more than 8,000 square feet of interactive and educational exhibitions focusing on preserving African-American history, culture and community in Arkansas from 1870 to the present.

Museum of Discovery
500 President Clinton Ave., Suite 150,
Little Rock
(501) 396-7061
The family museum boasts hands-on exhibits exploring the wonders of nature, science, technology and history in an interactive, educational environment.

Old State House Museum
300 W. Markham St., Little Rock
(501) 324-9685
Built in 1836, the Old State House served as the Arkansas Capitol until 1911 and is a National Historic Landmark. The museum has six period rooms, exhibits highlighting Arkansas’ first families and the building’s architecture and two legislative chambers.

Plantation Agriculture Museum
4815 Arkansas Highway 161, Scott
(501) 961-1409
About 30 minutes from Little Rock, the museum interprets the history of cotton agriculture from 1836 to WWII. See early cultivation tools, the blacksmith shop
and rare cotton gins.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock
(501) 374-4242
The center houses presidential archives, educational and research facilities, as well as a museum that boasts exact replicas of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, complete with computer stations to create an interactive experience.

Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center
602 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock
(501) 907-0636
Introduce yourself and the kids to Arkansas wildlife and nature preservation with 16,232 square feet of interactive exhibit space and an impressive aquarium.

Performing Arts/Theater

Argenta Community Theater
405 Main St., North Little Rock
(501) 353-1443
A new venue seating more than 200, ACT is a nonprofit organization committed to serving the community through education and advancement of the performing arts.

Arkansas Repertory Theatre
601 Main St., Little Rock
(501) 378-0405
The Rep presents six main stage performances and several special events each season. Performances are held in a restored building in downtown Little Rock. Tickets range from $15-$50 per person and group rates are available.

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre
Reynolds Performance Hall on UCA campus, Conway
(501) 269-4815
Every summer, the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre produces a repertory of family-friendly professional productions at Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus.

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
2417 N. Tyler St., Little Rock
(501) 666-1761
The state’s most sought-after professional musicians comprise this orchestra, which performs more than 30 concerts at Robinson Center Music Hall each year. Famous vocalists like Natalie Cole, LeAnn Rimes and Aretha Franklin frequent its stage as well.

Celebrity Attractions
300 S. Spring St., Suite 100, Little Rock
(501) 244-8800
This producer of nationally-touring Broadway seasons brings such famed shows as “Wicked,” “STOMP” and “Mamma Mia!” to Little Rock.

Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA
201 Donaghey Ave., Conway
(501) 450-3265
Since opening in 2000 with a sold-out concert by the late Ray Charles, this 1,200-seat performance hall has hosted numerous celebrities, including the Temptations and Gladys Knight, and many national and international touring companies.

The Weekend Theater
1001 W. Seventh St., Little Rock
(501) 374-3761
A nonprofit theatrical community that produces socially significant plays, the theater’s performances are made more powerful by its intimate layout. Tickets range from $10 to $14 for plays and from $14-$18 for musicals.

Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts
20919 Denny Road, Little Rock
(501) 821-7275
Wildwood is home to Little Rock’s unique botanical gardens and Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre. A center for the arts located in west Little Rock’s Chenal Valley, Wildwood offers a full spectrum of the cultural arts: performing, literary, culinary and horticulture.