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Little Rock & North Little Rock Attractions
Little Rock and North Little Rock form the vibrant heart of Arkansas. The two cities and their neighboring towns comprise a metropolitan area of some 500,000 people in central Arkansas. This metropolis, as well as Conway, Searcy and Cabot, and nearby cities in the central region, offer a cosmopolitan mix of historic attractions, imaginative shopping opportunities, fine dining, nightlife and creative arts and fine hotels. We hope you enjoy your visit to Little Rock! (http://www.arkansas.com/attractions/region/region/Central/).
Tours | General Sightseeing | Libraries | Museums | Outdoors | Music and Theater
Tours [top]A good way to see a significant portion of Little Rock is through Little Rock Tours. The Little Rock Bus Tour takes you to the famous sites in Little Rock, while the Black Heritage Tour takes you to Central High School, Philander Smith College, Dunbar Community Center, and Little Harlem. Reservations can be made at http://www.littlerocktours.com/.
General Sightseeing[top]The River Market (Ottenheimer Market Hall) houses more than 17 permanent merchants who offer a growing list of market specialties year round. Among the market specialties, you’ll find oven baked breads, pastries, pies, and cakes; organic fruits, vegetables, and meats; smoked, barbecued, glazed, and deli cuts of beef, chicken or pork; fresh cut flowers; roasted gourmet coffees and specialty coffee drinks; authentic Mexican, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Central European cuisine and groceries; fruit smoothies, gourmet chocolates, jellies, preserves, sauces, spices, seasonings, and Creole dishes. The River Market is located in the heart of the River Market District, which has many fine dining establishments and shopping. The Rivermarket is open
Monday-Saturday The Peabody (formerly the Excelsior Hotel) is home to the Little Rock Peabody Ducks. Like their cousins in Memphis, the Little Rock Ducks march down and across the red carpet everyday at 11:00 a.m. and then march up at 5:00 p.m. Between that time, they are in the fountain playing, quacking and being ducks. They are accompanied by the Duck Master, who is clad in scarlet-and-gold trimmed jacket, and carries a brass head duck cane. Visitors to Little Rock are invited to come see the ducks. 3 Statehouse Plaza The Quapaw Quarter All of Little Rock's history - from frontier days to the early years of the 20th century - is encompassed by the Quapaw Quarter, a nine-square mile area which includes Little Rock's central business district and adjacent residential neighborhoods. "Quapaw Quarter" is a special name that since 1961 has been used to identify this oldest and most historic portion of Little Rock. (The word "Quapaw" was borrowed from the Quapaw Indians, who lived in central Arkansas before the arrival of white settlers in the early 19th century.) The Quapaw Quarter is most closely associated with three areas, formally known as the "MacArthur Park Historic District", the "Governor's Mansion Historic District," and the "Central High Neighborhood Historic District." Most of the city's oldest buildings, including some that date from before the Civil War, are found within the boundaries of the MacArthur Park Historic District. Visitors to the historic district may tour the MacArthur Museum of Military History housed in the former U.S. Arsenal Building (built in 1840-02), and the Arkansas Arts Center's Community Gallery which occupies the antebellum Pike-Fletcher-Terry House. Another of the historic district's antebellum homes, Trapnall Hall, may be viewed by appointment. Homes in the Governor's Mansion Historic District generally date from about 1880 to 1920, and they comprise an outstanding collection of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Craftsman architecture. The Central High Neighborhood was established as a National Register Historic District in 1996. While the oldest surviving house dates from 1870, most of the buildings in this district date from 1890 to 1930. Exceptional examples of a wide variety of architectural styles, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, American Foursquare, and Craftsman, can be found here. The centerpiece of the district is historic Little Rock Central High School and the Central High National Historic Site and Museum. The majority of restored buildings in the Quapaw Quarter serve as private homes or businesses. Although they are not open to the public, they can be enjoyed from the street or sidewalk via driving or walking tours. In addition, the Quapaw Quarter Association arranges for several privately owned historic houses to be opened to the public during the first weekend in May for the bi-annual Spring Tour of Historic Homes.
Libraries [top]Central Arkansas Library System serves to provide free access to information, entertainment and a place to meet for our visitors. Aside from books, the collection is also home to a growing number of audio books, popular movies and musical selections that are available for check-out. CALS offers free internet access for library card holders, and visitors to the area have access to a guest card for this purpose. There is also free wireless internet access at many of the libraries for visitors who wish to use their own wireless-enabled laptop. The computers in the libraries provide access to numerous databases for information on genealogy, literature, and business information. Main Library Hours: The Clinton Presidential Center site includes the Presidential Library and Museum and the renovated Choctaw Station, built in 1899, which houses the Clinton School of Public Service and the Clinton Foundation office. Another feature piece of the Center and Park is the Rock Island Railroad Bridge that will be renovated into a pedestrian bridge crossing the Arkansas River. The Center features sustainable buildings that emphasize state of the art strategies for site development, water savings, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality; tours that focus on the green aspects of the buildings are available. The Clinton Library is the 12th presidential library and houses the largest archival collection, over 76 million pieces of paper, in American presidential history. A 110-foot timeline contextualizes the eight years of the Clinton Administration while alcoves running the length of the timeline direct attention to the foreign and domestic efforts of the Clinton-Gore team. Displays recreating “life in the White House” and a biographical exhibit of President Clinton share the second floor display case. In addition, visitors to the upstairs will find a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, the only full-scale replica in any presidential museum. The windows also provide a real view to the outside of the Center; instead of the Rose Garden, these windows look out on downtown Little Rock and the hills beyond. Researchers are allowed access to the archives. The research room is open year-round, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 4:30 with no materials being pulled after 3:45, and closed on federal holidays. Detailed finding aids for each collection open for research are available on the Clinton Library web page under the “Research” button in the top tool bar. Finding aids describe the contents of the collection and include folder title lists which enable researchers to request specific boxes of material. Finding aids also are available in the research room.Although an appointment is not required, researchers are urged to contact the library in advance of any visit to allow the library staff ample time to locate and pull records related to their topics. Textual Research: http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/research.html William J. Clinton Presidential Center Hours: Admission:
Museums [top]For over 30 years, The Arkansas Art Center has been steadfastly committed to building a collection of unique works on paper, primarily American and European, from the Renaissance to the present. Among the most recognizable works in the collection are sheets by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alison Saar, Rembrandt and Rubens. The collection also features 135 drawings and watercolors by the Post-Impressionist Paul Signac, over 100 Post-Minimalist drawings, Arthur Dove’s Sketchbook “E”, and nearly 80 works by Will Barnet. Masterworks in the collection include paintings by Diego Rivera, Odilon Redon and Francesco Bassano; sculpture by Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson and Roy Lichtenstein; and prints by Rembrandt, Whistler and Dürer. The second major area of the collection is contemporary objects in craft media including teapots by Contemporary artists, contemporary baskets, turned wood objects, studio glass, ceramics, metalwork and toys designed by artists. Among the highlights are works by Dale Chihuly, Albert Paley, Peter Voulkos and Dorothy Gill Barnes. Arkansas Arts Center Hours: Admission: Free (may be a cost for special exhibits) The Museum of Discovery engages, enlightens and educates people of all ages (but mostly children) through an interactive experience where science and history come alive! Permanent exhibits include "Arkansas Indians", "Bug Zoo," "Discovery Express," "Energy!," "Health Hall," "Imagination Station," "Passport to the World," "World of the Forest." Excellent for small children or the young at heart. 500 President Clinton Ave. Suite 150 Hours: Admission The Old State House, the state's first Capitol, was the backdrop for President Clinton's 1992 and 1996 election-night celebrations. It is the oldest standing state Capitol building west of the Mississippi River and located next door to the Doubletree. Built in the classic architectural style of the Greek Revival, the Old State House Museum has permanent displays of Arkansas' 30 First Ladies' gowns, the original 1836 House of Representatives Chamber and view such exhibits as the "Pillars of Power," a history of the Old State House. Old State House Hours: Admission: Free Historical Arkansas Museum, or HAM as it is locally known, celebrates Arkansas history and heritage as well as being a historic site museum of Arkansas's frontier days. Five pre-Civil War houses, on their original block, are restored to antebellum appearances. Guided tours of the historic houses occur on the hour (except noon) and encounter actors portraying original residents. Houses include the oldest home still standing in Little Rock and the site where William Woodruff once printed the Arkansas Gazette. The museum center features the museum's outstanding collection of Arkansas-made decorative, mechanical, and fine arts objects in six galleries. The museum center has an exceptional collection of Bowie knives, pottery, furniture, silver, and quilts. A small fee is charged for a guided tour of the historic grounds and restored houses. Special student rates with advance group reservations. Tours are free the first Sunday of each month. All galleries and regular visitor activities inside the new museum facility are free. Historical Arkansas Museum Hours: Museum Center: Free The new Central High Museum Center will open in September 2007 and is located on the northeast corner of South Park Street and Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive. It will cover approximately 30,000 square feet of exhibts, administrative space, and meeting rooms. The old Visitors Center is located in the Mobil service station at 14th and Park Streets and was formally opened as the Central High School Museum Visitor Center in September, 1997. The Central High School Museum exists to empower, inform, enlighten and challenge people by documenting, interpreting, preserving and discovering the history of the 1957 crisis and its context. Central High is still a functioning school and is located across the street. Hours: Unknown as of yet Admission: Unknown as of yet (most likely free) The Mosaic Templers Museum is Arkansas's state funded museum dedicated to the story of African American life and business. It focuses on collecting, preserving, interpreting and celebrating African American history, culture and community in Arkansas from 1870 to the present, and informs and educates the public about black achievements-especially in business, politics and the arts. In 2008, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is slated to open to the public as a state-of-the-art facility with more than 8,000 square feet of interactive exhibit and education space. A large third floor auditorium will provide opportunity to explore the story of Arkansas's African Americans through public forums, conferences, and performing arts. The facility is being re-built after the 2005 fire that gutted the original building. The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History was created to interpret our state's military heritage from its territorial period to the present. Located in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal--the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur--the museum preserves the contributions of Arkansas men and women who served in the armed forces. Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items to vividly portray Arkansas's military history, at home and abroad. MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Hours: Admission: Free
Outdoor / Parks [top]Pinnacle Mountain is a day-use park dedicated to environmental education, recreation, and preservation. Located just west of Little Rock, this 2,000-acre park was set aside in 1977 as Arkansas's first state park adjoining a major metropolitan area and offers hiking, canoeing, and general outdoor recreation. It is free to the public. The park's dominant natural feature, Pinnacle Mountain, rises more than a thousand feet above the Arkansas River Valley. The mountain's cone-shaped peak has long been a central Arkansas landmark. Two of the park's hiking trails lead hikers to the mountain's summit and a number of them lead around the base. To see the panoramic view from atop Pinnacle Mountain, visit the virtual tour featured online at http://www.adventurestateparks.com/hiking/. Park facilities include picnic sites, two standard pavilions with restrooms, launch ramps, and hiking trails. Within the park's environs is the Arkansas Arboretum, a 71-acre site exhibiting native flora representing Arkansas's six, major natural divisions. Below Pinnacle Mountain along the Little Maumelle River, the arboretum includes a .6-mile barrier-free, interpretive trail. Burns Park is located in North Little Rock on the north side of I-40 and one of the the most popular parks in Central Arkansas. One of the largest municipal parks in America (1500+ acres), it has over 15 miles of hiking trails, playgrounds, two golf courses, a water slide, an amusement park, a softball field, tennis and racquetball courts and even a camping area. It is free to the public. http://littlerock.about.com/cs/outdoorrecreatio1/tp/aacityparks.htm. The Old Mill Park, located at Fairway Ave. & Lakeshore Drive in North Little Rock, is a historic re-creation of an 1880's water-powered grist mill. The mill was seen in the opening scenes of David Selznick's 1937 movie classic "Gone With The Wind", and is believed to be the only remaining structure from the film. Admission to The Old Mill is free, and the hours of operation are from sunrise to sunset. Volunteer Master Gardners devote over 200 hours per year to the flowers and landscaping. The Old Mill, also known as Pugh's Mill, was built in 1933 by Justin Matthews as a replica of an old-water-powered grist mill. The mill was designed to appear as if it belonged in Arkansas and had been here since the 1800s. It is made largely from tinted concrete work over steel and copper rods made to represent wood, iron or stone, and features sculptures by Mexican artist Senor Dionicio Rodriguez. The Old Mill is a favorite spot for weddings and bridal photographs, due the beautiful gardens and scenery. The Big Dam Bridge is the newest attraction to Little Rock's outdoor scene. The bridge is the world’s longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge built and designed specifically for that purpose. Located over Murray Lock and Dam, The Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge has a 14-foot wide deck that extends 3,463 feet across the Arkansas River. The $12.5 million bridge ties together 17 miles of scenic river trails in Little Rock and North Little Rock and will eventually connect with 7,000 acres of various city, county, state and federal park land. The loop is currently about 12 miles.
Music and Theater [top]The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is one of North America's most celebrated symphonies and a renowned Little Rock attraction. Currently in its 41st season, The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs more than thirty concerts at Robinson Center Music Hall each year, located next to the Doubletree Hotel. Please visit the website for ticket and performance information. In its 26th season, the Arkansas Repertory Theater continues to produce a diverse body of work - including contemporary comedies, cutting edge dramas, musical theater, and classic dramatic literature. The company mounts productions in both the 354-seat main theater and the 100-seat "Second Stage," which offers emerging playwrights a place to showcase their works. Visit the website for details on productions.
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