Hidden Treasures of Arkansas: Little Rock, Bentonville's Crystal Bridges Museum, and Eureka Springs

Hidden Treasures of Arkansas: Little Rock, Bentonville's Crystal Bridges Museum, and Eureka Springs

May 29 - June 1, 2012

Marlsgate Plantation - The family of David P. Garner, Jr. extends a cordial welcome to all guests who travel to the Arkansas Delta seeking a glimpse of the plantation culture of the nineteenth century, which is preserved and maintained at Marlsgate Plantation.

The mansion is not simply the home of one family.Its rooms, its furniture, its paintings, its countless mementos illuminate the rich historical and cultural heritage of the American South, the habits and traditions of its people, the triumphs and tragedies of its past. As custodians of this heritage, they are endeavoring to ensure that this magnificent house and its treasures will be preserved and thus make the past come alive for future generations.

Nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks in beautiful Bentonville, Arkansas, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art houses a permanent collection of masterworks of American art ranging from the colonial period to contemporary work. Furthermore, a changing array of special exhibitions will feature art from museums and collections throughout the region, the nation and abroad.

The glass, concrete, and wood building design by world-renowned architect Moshie Safdie features a series of pavilions divided by two spring-fed ponds. The museum facility totals 217,000 square feet of usable space consisting of six art gal- leries, a museum store, library, dining facility, class- room space, and a great hall for special events. The entire campus rests in 120 acres of lush forest, and the museum takes its name from a nearby natural spring and the bridge construction incorporated in the design. Visitors will experience not only the museum, but also the park-like setting of a series of urban trails peppered with interactive sculpture and

gardens connecting the campus to beautiful down- town Bentonville.

Includes:

Thorncrown Chapel
Eureka Springs Trolley Tour
Eureka Springs Great Passion Play Outdoor Drama
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Walmart Visitors Center
Dinner and tour at Marlsgate Plantation
Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation/Driver’s gratu- ity
Three nights’ deluxe accommodations/luggage handling
6 meals; 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners
Fully escorted by Jane’s Journeys

Pricing Per Person:

Double: $613.00
Triple: $576.00
Quad: $541.00
Single: $772.00

$150 Deposit with reservation; Final payment due by April 15.

Complete Itinerary:

Day 1
We travel today, stopping in Memphis for lunch, reaching Little Rock, Arkansas, this afternoon.

Upon arrival, we will visit the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. Featuring 20,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Clinton Library chronicles American history at the turn of the 21st century. Interactive exhibits, including a White House Cabinet Room reconstruction and a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, give visitors a first-hand look into the life and work of the 42nd president. Other featured ex- hibits include 13 policy alcoves and an interactive 110 -foot timeline within which the history of the Clinton Administration unfolds. Another section of the museum is designed to present exhibits about life in the White House: showing the splendor of state events, the spirit of holiday celebrations and how the Clintons made the White House their home. Also included is a gallery designed to rotate exciting new exhibits through the Library on a regu- lar basis.

After checking into our hotel for the evening, The Crown Plaza Little Rock, we will drive out to Marlsgate Plantation for dinner and a tour of this beautiful mansion. (D)

Day 2
This morning we drive to Bentonville, Arkansas. Upon our arrival, we will tour Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. There will also be time for lunch on your own. The museum opened in November, 2011, and was infused with an $800 mil- lion endowment by the family of the founders of Wal-Mart - four times that of the renowned Whitney Museum in New York. It is the brainchild of Alice Walton, 62, daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and an heiress to the Walton family fortune.

Alice Walton's acquisition of some of the country's most important pieces of American art and the fact that they will hang in this rural corner of mid- dle America have rattled the art world. Walton's backers say that legendary paintings such as Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter, now part of the Crystal Bridges collection, deserve to be seen in rural Amer- ica, not just in big cities such as Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Crystal Bridges Museum is going to be one of the most important museums to open in the nation's history, says Lindsay Pollack, editor of Art in America magazine.

We will then visit the Walton Visitors Center, located in Sam Walton's original Bentonville Walton Five and Dimes variety store. The center traces the origin and growth of Walmart Stores, Inc. In addition to the museum, the Downtown Bentonville area has several shops that offer unique souvenirs. Over the past year the Walmart Visitors Center has undergone a complete transformation and is now fully restored. Visitors will experience several additions to the newly renovated center including a working five and dime store, complete with vintage toys, games and

candies, and the Spark Café for casual sidewalk coffees, baked goods, and treats. You'll still see founder Sam Walton's Ford pickup and fully preserved office and desk, in addition to new interac- tive digital displays, video and audio clips of company history and a few seasonal surprises for the return visitors. A timeline highlights the early years of retail in Walton's personal and professional life and pays Thorncrown Chapel tribute to the associates and family members who contributed to the company's growth and success. Dinner is included tonight at Fred's Hickory Inn, one of the oldest restaurants in Bentonville and Sam's personal favorite.

Tonight we will become a part of art as we square feet of glass. Since the chapel opened in 1980, end our evening with a fascinating 45-minute light show at the Crystal Bridges Museum. (B, D)

Day 3
We depart this morning for Eureka Springs, Arkansas stopping first at Thorncrown Chapel, a 48-foot tall glass structure with 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. Since the chapel opened in 1980, over five million people have visited this wood- land sanctuary. It has won numerous architectural awards such as the American Institute of Architec- ture's Design of the Year Award for 1981 and the American Institute of Architecture's Design of the Decade Award for the 1980's. Called the most beauti- ful chapel in the world, the glass and wood wonder hides deep in a woodland setting. You walk down a wooded trail, move around a curve and there stands a majestic glass chapel - so beautiful - so close to God.

We then arrive in Eureka Springs in time for lunch on your own and browsing the shops.

This afternoon, we'll take a 50-minute tram tour through the historic district. We will then check into our hotel for the night, the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, built in 1886 and a proud member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America. The Crescent stands as "Arkansas' symbol of hospitality" and is Eureka Springs' premier hotel. This evening, we'll have dinner at the hotel before we experience the Great Passion Play Outdoor Drama, enjoyed by more than seven million people from all over the world for over 40 years. The Great Passion Play brings to life the thrilling, epic drama surrounding Christ's last days on earth, death and resurrection with a cast of hundreds performing amid historically accurate stage settings. (B,D)

Day 4
We depart for home this morning, taking our necessary stops along the way. (B)