The Old State House Museum will celebrate its 75th anniversary in February with a series of special events highlighting the museum’s history and its role in Arkansas heritage.
The celebration begins Friday, Feb. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m., during 2nd Friday Art Night. Guests can enjoy live music along with food and drinks inspired by the early 1950s. The evening will also mark the opening of a new exhibit, Enduring Image: Arkansas’ Old State House, located on the first floor of the East Wing galleries. The exhibit will feature historic images of the building and explore the significance of the museum’s 75-year legacy. Hands-on activities will be available, and official remarks will be delivered during the event.
The celebration continues on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a DJ playing music from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Punch and dessert will be served, along with additional hands-on activities and official anniversary remarks.
The Old State House first opened to the public as a museum on Feb. 14, 1951. Its opening day featured speeches, organ music, and punch, and guests were encouraged to dress in period costumes. Governor Sid McMath and former Governor Ben Laney attended in historic attire, while Arkansas Gazette editor J.N. Heiskell delivered the keynote address. The 58th Arkansas General Assembly unofficially convened in the 1885 House of Representatives chamber, and a historical marker was dedicated on the museum grounds. A formal ball followed that evening at the Marion Hotel. More than 2,500 people visited the museum on its opening day.
For more information about the anniversary celebration, call 501-324-9685.
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