The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art debuted in Bentonville, Arkansas in 2011, with a mission to "celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature." And indeed, renowned architect Moshe Safdie created a structural work of striking modernism, one that also blends remarkably harmoniously with the glorious nature that surrounds it. It has since become one of the country's premier cultural institutions, with notably more than a third of its collection dedicated to Indigenous Art and artists.

Fifteen years later, the museum takes another giant leap, unveiling its breathtaking new Visions of America Galleries, which reach across five-centuries of American art. But hardly just an extension of the existing collection, the new galleries are assembled around a quintet of distinctly distinguished themes: 'We', 'Dreaming', 'Nature', 'Making Our Mark' and 'We the People' - the last one directly referencing the first three words of the United States Constitution, written - as history now has it - in the nation's infancy in 1787.

It's all actually a prelude to the much anticipated and consequential expansion of the museum, which will be officially unveiled in June.

"It's a complete rethinking of how to introduce visitors to the collection," enthuses Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs Austen Barron Bailly, "taking people on a journey across the unfolding story of America." The timing could not be more relevant, of course, as the nation plans to celebrate its 250th birthday this July.

As mentioned, the commitment to presenting the works of Indigenous artists is an eminent feature of the new galleries, with recent acquisitions taking particular pride of place, and including the likes of Nicholas Galanin and Raven Halfmoon. A definitive highlight is Teri Greeves' stunning tri-panel 'K’Gui Stah Gyah, Gyah Stah Gyah, The Kiowa World: As We Have Always been, As We are, As We Will Be', specifically commissioned by the museum.

Addressing another conspicuous injustice is the focus on contextualizing craft - which had long been considered as a less serious art form, but has been properly elevated in the time since Crystal Bridges debuted. Within the galleries filled with paintings and sculptures, strikingly designed objects like Norm Sartorius' carved wooden spoons, under the title 'Spiral', and Leon Nieheus' 'Bentwood Sphere' compellingly remind of how craft has indeed been such an essential part of America's rich artistic history.

Curator of Craft Jen Padgett emphasizes that, “It’s not a separate part of the collection, but another part of the story of American art.”

(Note: Crystal Bridges hosts regular kids-and-families oriented activities, including summer camps; The Studio for hands-on artmaking; and even virtual tours, for those without easy access to the museum.)

All images courtesy of the Crystal Bridges Museum

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