During your visit to this Arkansas museum, enjoy a guided tour of the museum’s exhibits related to Arkansas history with the knowledge and insight of a professional trained tour guide.
Permanent Exhibits
The Old State House Museum is home to a series of permanent exhibits which highlight the history of the Old State House, the museum’s collections and Arkansas history and culture.
Pillars of Power
As you explore Pillars of Power you will learn about the rich history of the Old State House from its role as the seat of Arkansas state government, to repairs the building underwent over the years, to its present role as the Old State House Museum. Found on display in Pillars of Power are original bricks, architectural elements, and furnishings discovered during the restoration of the Old State House that provide insight into the building’s past, as well as many objects associated with groups and individuals who once occupied the building.
On the Stump: Arkansas Politics, 1819-1919
Learn about early Arkansas politics in On the Stump: Arkansas Politics, 1819-1919. This exhibit spans the first hundred years of Arkansas’s fascinating, often tumultuous political history, from the territorial period between 1819 and 1836, to the Antebellum period, Civil War, Reconstruction and Redeemer politics, to Populism and the Progressive Era between 1890 and 1919.
Legislative Chambers
In this exhibit you will discover why the Old State House is home to two House of Representatives Chambers but no Senate Chamber, and have the opportunity to see the 1836 House of Representatives Chamber restored to its 1840s appearance. The room contains wooden desks, chairs and spittoons. In addition, a video presentation featuring famous political scenes and events that occurred during the 75 years that the Old State House served as Arkansas’ seat of government further interprets the history of the Old State House’s Legislative Chambers.
First Families: Mingling of Politics and Culture
Learn how the “First Families” of Arkansas varied in their backgrounds and experiences in First Families: Mingling of Politics and Culture, from James Miller, the First Territorial Governor who spent little time in Arkansas and whose wife remained in Massachusetts, to Betty Bumpers and Hillary Clinton, who took on activist roles during their tenures as a First Lady of Arkansas.
Arkansas’s First Ladies Gowns
This collection of the inaugural gowns of Arkansas governors' wives is one of the largest, most comprehensive such collections in the country. Dating back to 1889, the collection includes the original inaugural gown of nearly every Arkansas first lady since.
Be sure to include time during your visit for shopping in the Old State House Museum Store. From historic collectibles, to notable books relating to all aspects of Arkansas history, the Old State House Museum Store features a wide variety of items that enhance and interpret the museum’s exhibits.
Travel Tip
- In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Old State House Museum is home to a number of temporary exhibits that illuminate Arkansas history and culture.