The Momentary

The Momentary is the contemporary-art counterpart to Crystal Bridges, a satellite of the museum housed in a former cheese-making plant on the south side of Bentonville. Where Crystal Bridges tells the story of American art through its permanent collection, the Momentary is built for the present tense: rotating exhibitions of living artists, installations that use the industrial bones of the building, concerts, theater, dance, film and festival programming that changes constantly. The galleries stretch across the old production floors, so the scale is generous and the ceilings are high, and the raw concrete, steel and brick make a strong backdrop for large and experimental work. Outdoor spaces, a courtyard and food and drink venues give it the feel of a neighborhood hub as much as a museum, and plenty of visitors come only for an evening show or a drink with friends. It is a natural second stop on an art-focused day: walk or bike the trails in the morning at Crystal Bridges, then cross town for contemporary work after lunch.

The building is half the story. The old plant was converted into a multi-use arts campus that opened in 2020, and the architects kept enough of the original structure that you can still read it as a factory: exposed beams, big doors, long runs of floor. That means installations can be bigger and stranger than in a traditional white-box gallery, and the programming team uses the whole site, including outdoor areas, for performances and pop-up events.

Expect a mix of ticketed and free offerings. Gallery visits have generally been low-cost or free, while concerts and special performances are separately ticketed and can sell out, so check the calendar before you travel and book anything you cannot bear to miss.

The Momentary rewards a flexible visit. Come in the afternoon, spend an hour or two in the galleries, then stay for a drink or dinner on site while the evening program starts. The calendar swings from touring musicians to local ensembles to film screenings, so the character of an evening depends entirely on what is on.

Because the program changes often, repeat visitors find something new each time, which is part of why locals treat it as their living room for the arts. Check hours before you go, because gallery days and show times are not always the same.

Allow two hours for the galleries and longer if you are catching a performance. Pair it with a stay at 21c Museum Hotel, whose public galleries are another free contemporary-art stop in the same weekend.

A few planning habits make the visit easier. Look at the calendar a few weeks ahead, since the best performances sell out, and decide whether you want a gallery visit, a show or both. Evenings are lively on weekends, with food and drink venues busy before and after events, so arrive early for a table.

If you are traveling with Crystal Bridges in mind, treat the two as complementary: one is a collection that runs through centuries, the other is a stage for what artists are doing now, and seeing both in a single trip shows how far the town's ambitions reach.