Sights and landmarks in Little Rock

Sights and landmarks in Little Rock

1. See

   Arkansas Arts Center

   9th and Commerce. Includes a museum school, children's theater, and a wonderful art gallery. The gallery is home to works of Cézanne, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe, Rembrandt and Dale Chihuly. The Museum School is a great place to learn or develop art skills. Children's Theatre productions are on most weekends during the school year.

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   Arkansas Governor's Mansion

   Also seen in Designing Women, as Suzanne Sugarbaker's home. No admission fee for tours, but they must be scheduled in advance.

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   Arkansas State Capitol

   Completed in 1915, is of some interest as it was modeled after the U.S. Capitol, and as a result, it has been used in several movies. If the legislature is not in session, you may visit the Senate and House chambers. The Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arkansas Law Enforcement Memorial, and a monument honoring the Little Rock Nine are on the grounds. The Capitol occupies the former site of the state penitentiary.

   Mon-Fri 7AM-5PM

4. See

   Big Dam Bridge

   The centerpiece of the Arkansas River Trail is this 4,226 ft long pedestrian and bike bridge over the Murray Lock and Dam, linking Little Rock's Murray Park with North Little Rock's Cooks Landing Park. Absolutely not to be missed.

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   Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

   The largest facility dedicated to the study of Arkansas history, housed in two historic buildings (built in 1882 and 1914) adjoined by a present-day structure. The Main Library of the Central Arkansas Library System is next door.

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   C. Maurice Lewis Jr. Natural Resource Complex

   The headquarters of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. You can obtain an Arkansas hunting or fishing license here (it is required by state law, even for non-residents) if you're planning to hunt or fish in the Natural State. If those don't suit your interest, at least just drop by and visit the exhibition gallery.

7. See

   Central Arkansas Library System Main Library

   The largest public library in Arkansas. The building is the former warehouse of the Fones Brothers Hardware Company (founded in 1865, ceased operation in 1987), completed in 1920. In 1993, the city approved a bond to restore the building, and the library eventually moved there in 1997.

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   Central High School National Historic Site and Museum

   This National Historic Site is dedicated to the Central High integration crisis of 1957. The visitor center houses a permanent exhibition on the event and the iconic facade of the school can be viewed from across the street. Reservations are mandatory to tour the school as it is an operating school, and you are asked not to enter it on your own.

   Mon-Sat 9AM-4:30PM, Sun 1-4:30PM·Free

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   Daisy Bates House

   The home of Little Rock's most celebrated civil rights leader who mentored the Little Rock Nine. The house is a private residence and is not open to the public.

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    Gazette Building

    The Arkansas Gazette, founded in 1819 by William Woodruff, has the distinction of being the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi. It is still in print today, although it is now called the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as a result of a 1991 merger with the Arkansas Democrat. The Gazette was housed in this building from 1908 until the merger. Today it houses eStem Public Charter Schools.

11. See

    Heifer International Center

    A nonprofit dedicated to caring for the earth and ending hunger and poverty. Visit their internationally recognized Green Headquarters building that has earned the highest LEED award. This is a great place to visit for everyone of all ages.

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    Historic Arkansas Museum

    Preserves four historic antebellum homes, also has a gallery with changing exhibits. General admission free.

    Guided tours: adults $2.50, children $1

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    KATV-7 Building

    Worthen Bank Building

    This 1928 building that now houses Little Rock's local ABC-affiliated television station was once the headquarters of the W.B. Worthen Banking Corporation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bank is today still in operation, though its name has disappeared into a triple merger, first by Boatmen's, then NationsBank, and now Bank of America.

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    Little Rock Audubon Center

    Headquarters of the National Audubon Society's Arkansas chapter and a nature education center complete with a park.

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    Little Rock National Cemetery

    Final resting place for more than 25,000 American war veterans; closed to new internments.

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    Little Rock Zoo

    Many different animals from all over the world. In addition, the zoo's entrance plaza contains "Over the Jumps: The Arkansas Carousel", a National Register of Historic Places entry with an unusual distinction: it's the world's only waving carousel.

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    MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History

    The museum, housed in its namesake's birthplace and the only surviving structure from the Old Arsenal, features military-related exhibits from the 19th century to the present. Also nearby is the Arkansas Korean War Memorial which was unveiled on June 25, 2007.

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    Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

    9th and Broadway. The original headquarters of the Mosaic Templars (a black fraternal organization, now defunct save for a single chapter in Barbados), destroyed by fire in 2005, has been reconstructed to house a cultural center dedicated to the history and culture of black people.

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    Mount Holly Cemetery

    Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and known by the nickname "The Westminster Abbey of Arkansas", this historic 19th-century cemetery is the final resting place for many noteworthy Arkansans. Among the most notable: David Owen Dodd, the "Boy Martyr of the Confederacy"; Pulitzer Prize-winning poet John Gould Fletcher; and William Woodruff, founder of the Arkansas Gazette, the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi. Also buried here are 10 former Arkansas governors, 14 former Arkansas Supreme Court Justices, 21 former mayors of Little Rock, and 6 former U.S. Senators.

20. See

    Museum of Black Arkansans and Performing Arts Center

    EMOBA - Ernie's Museum of Black Arkansans

    This museum housed in the historic First Baptist Church celebrates the colorful culture, history, and heritage of African American people in Arkansas.

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    Museum of Discovery

    Ste 150. Science and history museum with interactive exhibits. Great for kids.

    Mon-Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 1-5PM·Adults $6.35, children $5.85

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    Pinnacle Mountain State Park

    Scaling Pinnacle can be accomplished easily in an afternoon. The peak provides a great view of the Arkansas River and the surrounding country. No climbing experience necessary. West trail up the mountain is fairly easy; East trail is much steeper. Several miles of trails allow hikes of various lengths; there's also canoeing and fishing (an Arkansas fishing license is required) on the Little Maumelle and Big Maumelle rivers. Good birdwatching and wildflower-looking. The Ouachita National Recreation Trail starts here and goes all the way to Oklahoma.

23. See

    Quapaw Quarter

    Adjacent to downtown Little Rock is a residential area made up of 19th century Victorian homes, including the Governor's Mansion. Most of the homes are privately owned; however, twice a year (the first weekend in May and the first weekend in December), several of the homes are opened to the public and can be toured. Of note is the Villa Marre, dating from 1881, which was used in the TV sitcom Designing Women as the home of the interior design company.

24. See

    Riverfront Park

    This beautiful downtown park overlooking the Arkansas River is the site of La Petite Roche ("the little rock"), the rock formation for which the city is named. In addition, the park hosts the annual Riverfest celebration every Memorial Day weekend. An outdoor amphitheater for concerts is also located here.

25. See

    Robinson Center

    One of two city-owned convention centers, connected to the Doubletree Hotel and anchored by the 2,609-seat Robinson Center Music Hall, home to traveling Broadway productions, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and Ballet Arkansas.

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    Statehouse Convention Center

    Markham and Scott. The second city-owned convention center, adjoins the Peabody Hotel.

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    Taborian Hall

    This 1916 building is the only surviving remnant of Little Harlem, an African American community that saw its heyday during the segregation era. By 1992, it was vacant and had a huge hole in its roof, and was subsequently restored to house Arkansas Flag and Banner. There is a movement to restore the Dreamland Ballroom on the building's top floor to its splendor. It once saw the likes of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Nat King Cole.

28. See

    The Old State House

    Oldest surviving state capitol building west of the Mississippi. It is now a state history museum, where you can see the old House of Representatives Chamber. The museum also has a permanent collection of history-related exhibits, and temporary exhibits are shown occasionally. If you have kids, don't miss Grandmother's Cottage, a hands-on room where visitors can examine with a variety of objects from the 1920s-30s.

    Mon-Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 1-5PM·Free

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    Trapnall Hall

    A historic antebellum house that may be rented to host special events.

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    War Memorial Stadium

    The stadium hosts two University of Arkansas home football games, high school football, and concerts. Even if there's no event going on, stop by and look at the Sturgis Memorial Plaza at the stadium's main entrance.

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    Wildwood Park for the Arts

    Is home to Little Rock's Unique Botanical Gardens. Wildwood Park has expanded its focus to include a full range of the arts, including the performing, literary, culinary, visual, healing and horticultural arts. A park, pavilions, gardens and 625-seat theatre complex make Wildwood one of the State's most valuable natural and cultural resources.

32. See

    William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Park

    The eleventh Presidential Library of the National Archives and Records Administration, and the largest in the system, is dedicated to the Arkansan and the 42nd President. A huge collection of memorabilia from Clinton's two terms as President, including a replica of the Oval Office. Look also for the Clinton School of Public Service: it is housed in an old Rock Island station built in 1899.

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    Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center

    Features an aquarium, a taxidermy collection, and part of the Arkansas River Trail.

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    YMCA Building

    Bill Clinton was a frequent visitor to this YMCA branch during his years as governor of Arkansas. The building was built in 1928 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. But in 1995, the YMCA of Metropolitan Little Rock shuttered the branch due to declining membership. The building is now awaiting restoration.

35. See Not mapped

    Heifer Village

    It is an interactive museum and learning center designed to educate the public about a pristine, unspoiled world without poverty and hunger, the stated goal of Heifer International.

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    The River Market

    There are more than a dozen permanent vendors, and Farmer's Markets May-Oct: Tu and Sa 7AM-3PM.

    Mon-Sat 7AM-6PM, closed Sun

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Little Rock (CC BY-SA 4.0).