Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau

The nation watched the Little Rock Nine story unfold as nine black students attempted to enter the previously all-white school. With the help of television news, then in its infancy, the events commanded worldwide attention. Little Rock came to symbolize the federal government's commitment to eliminating separate systems of education for blacks and whites. The new National Historic Site Visitor Center opened in September 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the school's desegregation and is one of the most-visited Little Rock landmarks. It offers Little Rock Nine information through interactive exhibits commemorating the events and telling the Little Rock Nine story. When Little Rock Central High School was built in 1927, the American Institute of Architects named Central High School, "The Most Beautiful High School in America. The high school is still operating today and is the only functioning high school to be located within the boundary of a national historic site. Visit the Central High School Visitor Center to learn more Little Rock Nine information and history.

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together. For more than two decades, those values have energized the Foundation’s efforts to address big challenges, create new opportunities, and make a difference in people’s lives across the United States and around the world. As an operating foundation, our programs and the partnerships we build work to expand economic opportunity, improve public health, confront the climate crisis, and inspire citizen engagement and service. The Foundation also operates the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, which enhances these efforts by providing year-round educational and cultural programming and is home to the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.

Museum of Discovery: Named one of the best children’s museums by USA Today and best science centers by MENSA, this hands-on museum engages guests of all ages in interactive learning. Explore the two-story, three-tower climber installation, shelter from a powerful twister in Tornado Alley Theater, meet one of the resident animals, be amazed by an explosive science demo, and witness the world record musical bi-polar Tesla coil. New exhibits include the Small Fry Fish Camp and Curiosity Spot galleries, and Sensory Cove, a space that allows guests with Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) or who are neurodivergent to take a break from all the excitement of the museum.

Located in Riverfront Park, this garden is home to dozens of sculptures of every size. Landscaped outdoor “rooms” create a gallery-like experience along the riverbank.

The new Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is being realized through a public-private partnership, starting with a $31 million commitment from the City of Little Rock. 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 museum’s MacArthur Park building. Through a special capital fundraising campaign, private donations to the project have grown. At the museum's Grand Opening on April 22, 2023, Capital Campaign co-chairs Harriet and Warren Stephens announced a final campaign total of $170.8 million, which far exceeded the original project goal of $66 million. The campaign supports the construction of the new museum and provides transition and opening support, while also strengthening the endowment, yielding support for operations, exhibitions, acquisitions, and education and outreach programming in the new museum. AMFA extends gratitude to the Windgate Foundation, Harriet and Warren Stephens, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Trust for their transformative 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, 11 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.

Privately owned by Anita Davis and intended for public use, The Bernice Garden is located at the southeast corner of Daisy Bates Avenue and South Main Street in downtown Little Rock. Created to celebrate the community and host events, the garden also fosters neighborliness and a sense of pride in the area. The Bernice Garden Farmers’ Market (Sundays, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM April through November) offers an open community space for local growers to sell sustainably raised fruit, vegetables, nuts, berries, flowers, and herbs, as well as cheeses, prepared food and other goods to downtown Little Rock residents, businesses, organizations and visitors. The garden features permanent and temporary sculptures created by Arkansas artists and sponsored by The Bernice Garden Sculpture Fund. Mosaics, rock formations, the hand-crafted sign and additional art installations add to the multi-staged development plan for the space. Grab a bite to eat at any of the neighborhood restaurants, stores or markets, meet your friends and family under the canopy, and enjoy the beauty and excitement of a revitalized neighborhood at The Bernice Garden. Or rent the garden for weddings, receptions, dinner parties, concerts or any celebration – it’s a beautiful, natural fit for special occasions.

La Petite Roche Plaza highlights the famous stone outcropping that gave the capital city its name. In addition to the rock itself, the park also includes a pathway that leads to the base of the Junction Bridge where six panels explain the importance of the site.

At 33 acres, this 11-block-long park acts as Little Rock’s front lawn, providing ample room for strolling along the riverbank and admiring the park’s 100+ works of public art. Concerts are regularly held at the First Security Amphitheater while children's play areas and splash pads dot the landscape.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park: Climb to the top of Little Rock at one of Arkansas’ most visited state parks. For those looking for an adventure closer to sea level, the park is also home to world-class mountain biking trails, paddle boat rentals, hiking trails, and Little Maumelle River kayaking. Take advantage of the park’s new visitor center, which offers indoor and outdoor exhibits, restrooms, bike racks, and even the ability to have a sweet treat from the Loblolly Creamery Outpost.

At 4,226 feet in length, this is the longest pedestrian - and bicycling - intended bridge in North America. It rises 90 feet above the Arkansas River and connects dozens of cycling trails to the central Arkansas River Trail system. A perfect spot to watch the sunset, it’ll leave you saying ... “dam!”

One of Little Rock’s most iconic cycling spots, this is the perfect trail for beginners, families, or those just getting acquainted with the city. Highlights along the 15-mile route include the Clinton Presidential Library, downtown Little Rock’s Riverfront Park, the towering walls of Emerald Park, and the Big Dam Bridge.

The Ron Robinson Theater in the Arcade Building on the Main Library campus is the newest performance space in Little Rock's River Market district. Programming in the 325-seat multi-purpose event venue will be designed for all ages and will include films, music performances, plays, readings, lectures, speakers, and children's activities. Equipped with a state-of-the-art projection system for films and a separate sound system for spoken word and music, the theater will receive the highest rating from the Digital Cinema Institute.

Host your event at The Hall in our industrial chic warehouse-style venue; equally suited for receptions, fundraisers, corporate events, video shoots, trade shows and conferences. Conveniently located just 2 minutes from Downtown, The Hall comfortably accommodates parties from 50 to 1300 with a versatile, open floor design that your guests will love. Complete with backstage suites and easily accessible loading area for vendors, The Hall easily adapts for any type of event. Relax while our professional and personable staff takes care of your every need. Our top-shelf bar staff works quickly to ensure your guests receive a high quality experience. In-house concert style production will ensure your entertainment looks and sounds world class.

A fundamental anchor for the quality of life in Central Arkansas, The Rep creates vibrant and engaging theatrical experiences that are accessible for everyone in our community. With our work, The Rep seeks to make lives more full, more interesting, and more joyful. Our core programming includes a summer season of freshly created productions, performed at our downtown Little Rock facilities – including a 340-seat auditorium and 100-seat black box space – or around our broader community. We tell stories that provide entertainment and escape, that help us process the world around us, and that foster a sense of mutual understanding. Unlike most of the ever-present electronic media, the live experiences of The Rep are distinctly theatrical – immersive and shared by the community in a public space outside of individual homes.

“Testament: The Little Rock Nine Monument,” stands to honor the Little Rock Nine, African American students that courageously integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Situated on the northern side of the building, it faces the governor’s office window. It is the first civil rights monument located on any state capitol grounds in the south.

The Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail is an ever-growing collection of sites in Little Rock that were significant to the Civil Rights Movement. Created by the Anderson Institute of Race and Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the trail starts just outside the Old State House and will eventually stretch all the way to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. New markers are added to the trail each year in a public ceremony that also recognizes civil rights activities of the past and those who work for racial equality today. Since 2011, the ceremonies have honored sit-ins and freedom rides, the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, the desegregation of downtown Little Rock, and the efforts of professionals in the areas of medicine and healthcare, politics and law, and economic advancement. Enhance your experience by downloading the Arkansas Civil Rights History Tour app.

The museum celebrates Arkansas’ unique African-American experience. Housed in the footprint of the original Mosaic Templars of American National Headquarters, it depicts Little Rock’s historic West Ninth Street as a hub of Black entrepreneurship and shares the story of African American history and culture in Arkansas. The cultural center is one of only nine nationally accredited Black history museums in the country. The museum’s store, “Arkansas Made, Black Crafted,” showcases items made by local artisans.

Little Rock National Cemetery is the largest national cemetery in Arkansas. In 1866 it was a Union encampment for troops who occupied the city, and, after the war, was turned into a cemetery for fallen soldiers. The final active-duty internment was a man killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

What was Arkansas like in the days before it was a state? Find out as you explore and interact with preserved frontier buildings, galleries of crafts, and living history actors. Here, Arkansas’ days of being at the edge of the wild west are alive and exciting.

Built in 1917 as a fire station, this building was in service until modern fire trucks became too large to fit inside. Now, the building is home to Little Rock’s only hostel and a museum chronicling the history of firefighting through more than a century’s worth of artifacts and equipment.

The Arkansas Capitol building dome was modeled after the nation’s capital, and guests will find information displays on both the building and the state’s history throughout its marbled halls. Its grounds are home to several monuments including the Arkansas Gold Star Families Memorial, the Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial, the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, Testament: The Little Rock Nine Monument, and the Arkansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

One of only two purse museums in the world, and the only one centered on women’s history, ESSE explores concepts of art and femininity through the lens of women’s handbags and their contents. You’ll discover that purses can say a lot about a woman and her evolving position in society. These exhibits honor and celebrate the progression of the 20th century American woman.

The memorial gate and garden honor the American Taekwondo Association’s founder, Eternal Grand Master Haeng Ung Lee. The Hongsalmun-style gate is decorated in traditional Korean colors and symbols, while the enclosed garden features statues and fountains that harken back to Korean principles of longevity, family, strength, and unity.

During the desegregation crisis, the Bates' home became the official pick-up and drop-off site for the Little Rock Nine's trips to and from Central High School each school day, and consequently, a gathering spot for the Nine and members of the press. Tours of the home are available, but must be scheduled in advance.

Housed in the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River, this museum chronicles Arkansas’ history since it became a state in 1836. Exhibits range from historic first ladies’ gowns to natural curiosities and the building’s original legislative chamber. Its grounds are famous for hosting President Clinton’s two election night victory speeches in 1992 and 1996.

The First Security Amphitheater is Arkansas's premiere outdoor concert venue. The amphitheater's outdoor stage has a magnificent view located right on the Arkansas River and within one of Little Rock's largest and most popular public parks. It plays host to multiple concerts & events each year, from the 4th of July POPS! on the River to comedians, special national tours, local events, and celebrations. This outdoor stage has a magnificent view located right along the Arkansas River and set within one of Little Rock's largest and most popular public parks. Fast Facts: Event capacity: 7,000 Fixed seating: 1,375 Restrooms: Can accommodate attendance of 4,000 Dressing rooms: 4-all with showers Internet: Free Wireless service available Stage: 60'x60' Truss: 23' from floor to bottom truss / 27' from floor to top truss Rated for: 56,000lbs Load in: 2 trucks at stage level

Part botanical garden and part performing arts center, Wildwood’s 105 acres are home to miles of walking paths, manicured gardens, and a large arts complex where plays, concerts, and art classes occur throughout the year. The park also hosts multiple annual seasonal festivals.

Arkansas’ largest zoo is a place where every member of the family can have a wild experience. More than 500 animals call the zoo home, including elephants, penguins, several species of big cats, and primates. Must-see activities include the Arkansas Diamond Express historic zoo train and the fully-restored Over-The-Jumps 100-year-old antique carousel.

For many, the River Market district is the lifeblood of Little Rock's downtown scene. It is a place to do business, grab a marvelous meal, meet up with friends or catch some great Arkansas live music. No matter who you are, or what you’re after, the River Market district is sure to be a good time. The River Market also stands as the unofficial cultural center of Little Rock. On any given day you'll find international cuisine, skilled Arkansas artists practicing their crafts and Arkansas live music - be it a one-man band in the River Market pavilion, local and regional artists at a Jazz in the Park concert or a national act in the amphitheater. Also enjoy the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden, one of the many museums in the district, catch the Farmers' Market or shop for clothing and more in nearby boutiques. The River Market is a short walk, or streetcar ride, from most downtown hotels, making it one of the best spots to eat, shop, play and stay in Little Rock!