Calico Rock Museum’s Art Center Construction Begins! (Posted by Ginger Smith)

Calico Rock Museum’s Art Center Construction Begins!

 

Construction began this week on the new Art & Science Center with the framing of interior walls that will define the individual art galleries inside the new art museum.  The art museum will make up most of the main floor of the building.  It will also include a new retail store and public restrooms.  There will be space that may eventually be converted into an art/science classroom in future phases.
The mezzanine will be converted into the museum board room and the remaining area of the loft may be used for artist studio space or art galleries.  Eventually, the museum’s current board room in the basement of the museum may be converted into new history exhibit space.
The basement of the new center will house the science center.  We are now members of the Arkansas Discovery Network and working with partner museums (Museum of Discovery, the Amazeum, and the Mid-America Science Museum) to develop first-class science exhibits.  When we surveyed students, they said they were really looking forward to the science museum.  They wanted to see dinosaur bones and exhibits on the weather, a real life cave, and much more.  If our funding can be secured, we are going to give them their wish.  It will be a fully immersive experience!
With regards to funding, the foundation has raised $25,000 toward the $60,000 project in the last two months thanks to tremendous support from our community.  We are working to raise the $10,000 we need to be able to complete Phase I and open the new art museum.
If you’d like to view photos of construction, you can see them at:

Calico Rock Museum Foundation
104 Main Street
Calico Rock, Arkansas 72519
870-297-6100