The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (previously the Arkansas Arts Center) is home to a renowned collection of international art, exceptional performing arts experiences, and an innovative Art School.
With more than 60 years of dedication to the visual and performing arts, AMFA inspires, enlightens, and builds community. Serving the state of Arkansas and beyond, AMFA is committed to providing enriching cultural experiences for all and we are proud to be a cultural destination for the region.
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is part of the remarkable cultural legacy of the region. What began in 1914 as a notion of bringing the arts to Arkansas was realized in 1937 with the opening of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1937. The museum’s mission, collection, and reach continued to grow, and, in 1960, the institution adopted the name Arkansas Arts Center along with a commitment to serving the entire state.
A New Vision for a New Museum
In 2016, a project to reimagine the Arkansas Arts Center began when Little Rock residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of a hotel-tax bond to reimagine the Arts Center’s MacArthur Park building. Through a special capital fundraising campaign, private donations to the project have grown. In October 2019, Capital Campaign co-chairs Harriet and Warren Stephens announced that the campaign had raised more than $122.7 million toward a $128 million goal. The campaign supports the construction of the new museum and will provide transition and opening support, while also strengthening the endowment, yielding support for operations, exhibitions, acquisitions, and education and outreach programming in the new museum.
The new Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is being realized through a public-private partnership, with a $31 million commitment from the City of Little Rock. Contributions from generous private donors have more than tripled the public commitment – and fundraising is ongoing.
AMFA extends gratitude to the Windgate Foundation, Harriet and Warren Stephens, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Trust for their transformation lead gifts to the campaign. The Windgate Art School, Harriet and Warren Stephens Galleries, and Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Lecture Hall are named in recognition of these lead gifts.
In early 2021, a new chapter began. Paired with a stunning architectural design by Studio Gang, 10 acres of native landscape design by SCAPE, and construction project led by Nabholz, Pepper, and Doyne, a new vision for a new museum was revealed.
This new vision continues the institution’s commitment to reach all Arkansans and honors its enduring roots as the original Museum of Fine Arts. As a new name was debuted, the Arkansas Arts Center officially became the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.
AMFA extends a special thank you to our community of members and annual donors and supporters. Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts programs are also supported in part by the AMFA Foundation, the City of Little Rock, the City of North Little Rock, the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Arkansas Arts Council, a division of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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