2 Possible Museums for NWA

[mcheiss]

The NWA Morning News ran an article this morning about how some musuems might be coming to the area.

The first one is a Kid's Museum. A group of 30 area residents plans to meet with educators and school directors as well as business owners, suppliers and parents during the museum

[masons_dad1]

^^

This is great news! The plans for the Kid's Museum sounds identical to the Discovery Center in Springfield, MO. If NWA starts getting some of these family-oriented attractions I'd be less motivated to mov to Springfield. Let's hope it's not just more empty promises.

[Mith242]

Great news Matt. Thanks for posting this, I hadn't heard anything about either one of these. Hopefully a little more info will start to leak out.

Oh yeah I forgot to add this as well. I certainly agree with you on the downtown locations. As far as Fayetteville goes I'd really like to see a museum along West Ave. Something to better connect the Fayetteville Public Library and the Walton Arts Center.

[Aporkalypse]

Little Rock has a Children's Museum and a Museum of Discovery as well.

I think it would be a good idea to affiliate both at least informally with UA as many undergraduate and graduate students could play a role and be volunteers and/or employees.

[mcheiss]

I think they should directly be affiliated with the Smithsonian, just for traveling exhibits and the fact that Smithsonian has done it right for so long. I like the idea with the museums being afiliated with the UofA as well, it would help with employment and probably better exhibits.

[Mith242]

I think they should directly be affiliated with the Smithsonian, just for traveling exhibits and the fact that Smithsonian has done it right for so long. I like the idea with the museums being afiliated with the UofA as well, it would help with employment and probably better exhibits.

Yeah a while back there was talk of trying to get a Smithsonian affiliated museum here in Fayetteville. But talk of that died off when there wasn't any funds for something like that. It would be nice to see that idea revived. I'm still a little disappointed I haven't heard more about this.

[mcheiss]

Yeah a while back there was talk of trying to get a Smithsonian affiliated museum here in Fayetteville. But talk of that died off when there wasn't any funds for something like that. It would be nice to see that idea revived. I'm still a little disappointed I haven't heard more about this.

How long ago was this.

Because the paper said that the city has been working since Jan. of 2005 to bring a Science and Industry Museum to the city. May'be this is the Smithsonian affiliated one.

[Mith242]

How long ago was this.

Because the paper said that the city has been working since Jan. of 2005 to bring a Science and Industry Museum to the city. May'be this is the Smithsonian affiliated one.

It could be then. I was thinking I had heard this a year and a half or so ago. Glad to see it didn't totally die then.

[strmchsr77]

There was an article in the Times this morning about the museum and from what I understand it seems to be moving full-steem ahead. There is not too much on the offical website but I will post the link on here.

Here is the link:Science Museum

Times report: NWA Times

[mcheiss]

I saw that as well.

I'm still curious as to where this will go, any ideas if it will be in Bentonville, Fayetteville, etc?

[strmchsr77]

I saw that as well.

I'm still curious as to where this will go, any ideas if it will be in Bentonville, Fayetteville, etc?

It looks like it will go somewhere in downtown Fayetteville. I saw something on their website that siad it would be placed near the Uof A and Walton Arts Center. I would be nice to have an impressive museum in the entertainment district.

[mcheiss]

It makes since for it to be in Fayetteville, with all of the college students and the world renown Nanotechnology facility they have there.

Downtown Bentonville near Crystal Bridges would be a good place for the Kids Musuem, since that's the direction Downtown Bentonville is going.

[strmchsr77]

It makes since for it to be in Fayetteville, with all of the college students and the world renown Nanotechnology facility they have there.

Downtown Bentonville near Crystal Bridges would be a good place for the Kids Musuem, since that's the direction Downtown Bentonville is going.

Yeah, I would agree. I think it would be smart to put it within walking distance to Crystal Bridges. They could both help elach other on attendance. The Childrens museum that is.

[Mith242]

It looks like it will go somewhere in downtown Fayetteville. I saw something on their website that siad it would be placed near the Uof A and Walton Arts Center. I would be nice to have an impressive museum in the entertainment district.

That would be a good location for it. From what I've heard they haven't picked an exact spot yet. They mentioned something about that many places pick a spot and then end up failing. They wanted to build up the concept first and plan ahead and then eventually decide a location. In a way I think getting more people interested in it before they pick some spot that people will think, no that's not a good spot for a museum or something.

[mzweig]

It makes since for it to be in Fayetteville, with all of the college students and the world renown Nanotechnology facility they have there.

Downtown Bentonville near Crystal Bridges would be a good place for the Kids Musuem, since that's the direction Downtown Bentonville is going.

John Lewis, former head of the Bank of Fayetteville, is driving this thing, and the consultant planning it is from Fayetteville as well. I don't think it will go outside of F-Ville as these guys won't want it anywhere but here.

[Mith242]

Now on the science museum, is this the same museum people were talking about a couple of years ago that could possibly be associated with the Smithsonian, or is this a different project?

[slyder1]

Congrat's NWA! If you want a hint of what the childrens museum might look like.........the Springfield Discovery Center just completed the new addition. To watch a video on the new addition and what it offers click here: Discovery Center

[mcheiss]

Thanks Slyder that looks great.

Mith, I'm not sure if this is the same on supposidly associated with Smithsonian or not, but I do know that a group has been trying to get this museum steamrolling since Jan. 2005.

[Mith242]

Thanks Slyder that looks great.

Mith, I'm not sure if this is the same on supposidly associated with Smithsonian or not, but I do know that a group has been trying to get this museum steamrolling since Jan. 2005.

I think from what I've seen they've actually been trying to get this going since early 2004. But back then I didn't hear as much info on all of it so I'm not sure if that was a different group or not. Might be nice if this is the same group and they might try to get some sort of Smithsonian affiliation at some point.

[Aporkalypse]

It looks like it will go somewhere in downtown Fayetteville. I saw something on their website that siad it would be placed near the Uof A and Walton Arts Center. I would be nice to have an impressive museum in the entertainment district.

I agree. That would be a very good location for it and allows for having university students and faculty involved.

[Mith242]

I agree. That would be a very good location for it and allows for having university students and faculty involved.

I'd like it to go somewhere between the Walton Arts Center and the Fayetteville Public Library to the south of it. That seems like a good place to me.

[mcheiss]

I'd like it to go somewhere between the Walton Arts Center and the Fayetteville Public Library to the south of it. That seems like a good place to me.

Well we all have been hearing plenty of rumors that the Walton Arts Center might be leaving it's current facility for a much larger one.

The site seems like a good one for a musuem.

[Mith242]

Well we all have been hearing plenty of rumors that the Walton Arts Center might be leaving it's current facility for a much larger one.

The site seems like a good one for a musuem.

Good point. But I would like to see West Ave become a bit of a 'cultural district'. Having the WAC (at least for now) the library (doesn't face West but it does border it) and a museum on the same street would certainly help establish something like that.

[masons_dad1]

I could see these museums doing well being associated with NWA schools, but I doubt they'd be impressive enough to be tourist attractions. They'd most likely charge too much for public admission to help offset the cost and I'd most likely wait to go to take my family to one of the better museums in Tulsa, Springfield or Little Rock than a mediocre museum that costs as much. I still hold a grudge against the UofA for shutting down the science museum due to lack of funds before they got a billion dollars and still haven't re-opened the museum.

[Mith242]

I could see these museums doing well being associated with NWA schools, but I doubt they'd be impressive enough to be tourist attractions. They'd most likely charge too much for public admission to help offset the cost and I'd most likely wait to go to take my family to one of the better museums in Tulsa, Springfield or Little Rock than a mediocre museum that costs as much. I still hold a grudge against the UofA for shutting down the science museum due to lack of funds before they got a billion dollars and still haven't re-opened the museum.

But with gas prices so high wouldn't it end up costing you a lot more to go to Tulsa or Little Rock?