Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is ringing in the New Year with a new decade of art, culture and nature on the horizon while celebrating a record-breaking attendance for 2019. The museum reflects on last year, including welcoming more than 700,000 visitors. Check out the highlight reel below.

Here’s what we can look forward to during the first month of the year at the museum.

North Forest Lights, a nighttime light and sound experience, is still open in the North Forest through Feb. 16. Five distinct installations bring the soul of the forest to life with light, sound, and sensory effects. Tickets and more information can be found here.

“Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors” is a collection of portraits by President George W. Bush, honoring the courage of America’s post-9/11 veterans. The exhibition is located in the Modern Art Gallery and admission is free for all. It will be on view until Jan. 20.

Architect Marshall Brown will be coming to Crystal Bridges for a free Spotlight Talk on Thursday, Jan. 23 discussing his work “Ziggurat” (2016), which was recently acquired by Crystal Bridges. Brown is an architect and principal of Marshall Brown Projects. He is an associate professor and Director of the Center for Architecture, Urbanism, and Infrastructure at Princeton University. Register online.

Multisensory Saturday will be held on Saturday, Jan. 25. This free, family-friendly event takes place in the galleries and offers everyone the opportunity to experience art using all senses. Touchable paintings will be available for visitors during this program. No registration is required.

Crystal Bridges is offering two exciting culinary programs in January. CR(EAT)E, a program offering a multi-course meal and drink pairings with conversations about art and cuisine, is partnering with Onyx Coffee Lab on Sunday, Jan. 19 to offer a late-morning brunch with cocktails. On Thursday, Jan. 30, DISH, a program featuring trendsetting women in the community as drinks and light fare are served, will highlight the life and career of Laura Brewer, manager of Cobblestone Farm. Tickets for CR(EAT)E and DISH can be reserved online, according to a press release.

Wheelchair seating is accessible at all programs. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is offered at all Distinguished Speaker Lectures and at the Collection Highlights tour on the third Saturday of each month. Based on availability, ASL is available for all programs and tours upon advanced request. Please contact access@crystalbridges.org or 479.657.2415 to schedule. Relay or voice calls are welcome.

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR

Drop-In Artmaking

Jan. 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 1 to 4 p.m.

Drop in Estes Studio every weekend between 1 and 4 p.m. for all-ages creative artmaking inspired by an artwork in the museum. Free, no registration required.

Figure Drawing from the Nude Model
Jan. 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

This adult figure drawing class will feature a nude model. A variety of drawing materials will be provided. Participants must be 18 or older. $10 ($5/members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Preschool Playdate » Art ABC’s
Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Create an alphabet-inspired collage and use your eye-spy eyes to find letters in works of art, plus creative play. Preschool Playdate begins with a performance in the Great Hall. Free, no registration required.

Afterschool Art Class » Portrait Perfect
Jan. 9, 16, 23, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Celebrate unsung heroes as you explore the temporary exhibition “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors” and portraits in the permanent collection. Paint a portrait for someone special in your life plus use mixed media as you experiment with portraiture. For ages 5-12. $45/3 sessions ($36/members), register online or with Guest Services.

Homeschool Friday Fun » Portrait Perfect (Ages 5-12)
Jan. 10, 17, 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Celebrate unsung heroes as you explore the temporary exhibition “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors” and portraits in the permanent collection. Paint a portrait for someone special in your life plus use mixed media as you experiment with portraiture. For homeschooled kids ages 5-12 and their families. $45/3 sessions ($36/ members), register online or with Guest Services.

Film » Kusama: Infinity
Jan. 10, 7 to 9 p.m.

Join us for a screening of the documentary “Kusama: Infinity, The Life and Art of Yayoi Kusama.” Join us in the Contemporary Art Gallery before the film for a special talk on our Kusama installation, Infinity Mirrored Room—My Heart in Dancing Into the Universe.

*Please note this event does not include a ticket for the Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room. If you’d like to see the room, you may collect free tickets at the front desk. Free, register online or with Guest Services.

Gallery Conversation » Happy Birthday Hamilton
Jan. 11, 1 to 2 p.m.

Celebrate Alexander Hamilton’s 265th birthday with a discussion of Alexander Hamilton bust by Giuseppe Ceracchi (1794). Join Curator of Early American Art, Mindy Besaw as she explores an artistic representation of this popular founding father. Free, no registration required.

Meditation and Mindfulness
Jan. 13, 1 to 2 p.m.

Take a break from your busy life and visit Crystal Bridges for rejuvenation in these guided meditation and mindfulness programs, surrounded by the beauty of art and nature. Led by instructor Paul Peterson, this session will meet next to the Mark Rothko painting in the Contemporary Art Gallery. Free, no registration required.

Library Book Club
Jan. 15, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

This month’s read is “The Flight Portfolio: A Novel” by Julie Orringer. Inspired by the real-life quest of an unlikely hero to save the lives and work of Europe’s great minds from the impending Holocaust. Stop by the Museum Library to pick up a copy of the book. Free, no registration required.

Gallery Conversation » Kindred Spirits: Art and Technology at Crystal Bridges
Jan. 16, 1 to 2 p.m.

Join us for a conversation with Shane Richey, creative director of experimentation and development, as he discusses how technology can enhance our interactions with and understanding of art, with Kindred Spirits by Asher B. Durand. Free, no registration required.

TEN Night » Abstract Self Portraits
Jan. 16, 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Join Teen Council Leadership to discover portraits in the Modern and Contemporary Art Galleries. Teens will then take inspiration from the collection and collage their own abstract self-portrait from a variety of media. This event is welcome for all area teens (9-12th grades). Free, no registration required.

Nightcap Tour » It’s Lit
Jan. 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Join us for an evening “nightcap tour” of the museum and specialty cocktail inspired by a monthly theme. This month’s theme is light. After learning how to make the drink, head into the galleries with a Gallery Guide for a look at how artists have explored light in their work. Ages 21 and up. $10 ($5/member), register online or through Guest Services.

Gallery Conversation » Cheryl Pope
Jan. 18, 1 to 2 p.m.

Join artist Cheryl Pope for a discussion about her work in our focus exhibition, Small Talk. Learn about the process behind creating her works from the series, I’VE BEEN HEARD, in collaboration with NYC Youth on Streetball. Following the discussion, there will be a Q&A with the artist. Free, no registration required.

CR(EAT)E » Let’s Do Brunch with ONYX
Jan. 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join us for a special “late morning” food experience with a multi-course brunch meal, coffee, and cocktails. Edible Culture’s Case Dighero hosts an entertaining, informative, multi-coursed brunch with ONYX Coffee Lab and Chef William McCormick of Eleven, discussing the intersection of art and cuisine. $130 ($104/members), register online or with Guest Services.

Zumba!
Jan. 20, 6 to 7 p.m.

Join us for a fun and energetic Zumba class in the Great Hall with instructor Viviana Pagan! For adults only. $5 (Free for members), register online.

Figure Drawing
Jan. 20, 1 to 3 p.m.

Join us on the third Monday of each month to draw from a clothed model. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses, and longer poses. All materials are provided. $10 ($5/members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Spotlight Talk » Marshall Brown
 Jan. 23, 7 to 8 p.m.

Join us for an evening with architect and artist Marshall Brown, of Marshall Brown Projects. Creator of the sculpture Ziggurat, on view in the North Forest, Brown will discuss his recent work. Free, register online or with Guest Services.

Art by the Glass » Felting with Dani Ives
Jan. 24, 6 to 8 p.m.

Join us in the studios for an evening of painting with wool in this fun class that pairs wine with artmaking! Dani Ives’s style of needle felting uses wool fibers and a felting needle to layer and “paint” embellishments for pieces that are bursting with texture and depth. You’ll create your own miniature forest floor worlds and leave with a beautiful, personalized piece of fiber art. $30 ($26/members), register online or with Guest Services.

Salsa Night
Jan. 24, 8 to 11 p.m.

Dance the night away in the beautiful setting of the Great Hall for an evening of salsa beats.

Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

CB Babies
Jan. 25, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Join us for this special program for the museum’s youngest visitors: infants ages 3 to 24 months with a caregiver. You’ll spend time in the galleries looking at and talking to your baby about art before enjoying sensory playtime. $10 per baby, free tickets for 1-2 adults per baby ($8/members), register online or with Guest Services.

Multisensory Saturday
Jan. 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Explore art with all of your senses on this multisensory self-guided tour of the museum’s galleries facilitated by our access and inclusion department. Open for all! Free, no registration required.

Gallery Conversation » Poetry Reading with Traci Manos
Jan. 25, 1 to 2 p.m.

Join singer-songwriter and poet Traci Manos as she presents an original poem inspired by Maya Lin’s Silver Upper White River, a sculpture in the museum’s permanent collection. As a singer-songwriter and seventh-generation Northwest Arkansas native, Traci’s songs and poetry explore connections to kin, land, and lore. Free, no registration required.

Tween Night
Jan. 25, 7 to 9 p.m.

Crystal Bridges’ Teen Council has planned a great evening for young students featuring a DJ, dancing, artmaking, and unique gallery experiences. Tween Night is completely free and open to all area students in fifth grade to ninth grade. Parents can drop off and pick up their tweens, or hang out in the parent lounge during the event.

DISH » Laura Brewer
Jan. 30, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Specialty drinks and light fare set the tone for a lively evening of conversation, with creative, trendsetting women dishing on arts and culture. This evening, enjoy an in-depth conversation with Cobblestone Farm Manager, Laura Brewer as we take a glimpse into her work, passion for conservation, and sustainability in the region. $50 ($40 / members), register online or with Guest Services.

For a complete list of current exhibitions, visit here. For news updates, follow Crystal Bridges on the Blog, Facebook, or Twitter.