Open house
The museum's annual open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25. Visitors are welcome to drop by to tour the museum, sign up for door prizes and sample delicious refreshments. Volunteer Jill Werner will be offering a taste of pawpaw (a native fruit) in exchange for a donation to the museum. Volunteer Bob Fuller has been calling upon businesses in the area for door prize donations. If your business hasn't been contacted and you'd like to donate a prize, please leave a message at the museum, 479-855-2335.
Fay Jones exhibit
Time is winding down on your chance to see our exhibit on northwest Arkansas native architect Fay Jones. The exhibit is on loan from the Old Statehouse Museum in Little Rock through the end of December. This is a special year for our recognition of Fay Jones, since the Bella Vista Country Club that he designed opened 50 years ago this November, and the Cooper Chapel that he designed opened 30 years ago this past spring.
Log cabin
We are starting the construction of the foundation on the museum grounds for the log cabin that is being donated to the museum from Scott and Angie Butler. C.C. Cooper (no relation to Cooper Communities) built the original cabin about 1916 on what is now an empty lot north of the corner of Glasgow and Timbercrest Lane just inside the Highlands Gate of Bella Vista. The cabin was dismantled and rebuilt in its present configuration by Paul Parish in 1974 near Lake Avalon. After Paul died in 1997, his daughter Myra Parish sold the property to the Butlers. Donations are still being sought to help pay for this project. If you are interested in helping, please drop off or send to the museum your donation, or go online to https://www.gofundme.com/cabinfever. Any donor of $100 or more will have their name inscribed on a plaque to hang inside the cabin.
2019 memberships now available
We are now accepting memberships in the Bella Vista Historical Society, which operates our Historical Museum, for the calendar year 2019. If you are already a member, please remember to renew your membership for next year, and we welcome all new members. Dues are $15/year for individuals, $25/year for families, and $50/year for corporate sponsorships. The museum is run by an all-volunteer staff, so any revenue we receive is put back into operational expenses. Payment made be made in person, by mail, or online at www.bellavistamuseum.org. Our mailing address is 1885 Bella Vista Way, Bella Vista AR 72714. We are a 501(c)3 organization, so your dues and donations are eligible for tax deductions.
Gift shop merchandise
The museum gift shop is the best place in Bella Vista to get all kinds of Bella Vista souvenirs, from Christmas tree ornaments to baseball caps, mugs, magnets, jigsaw puzzles and more. Embroidered patches are coming this fall, plus we have a variety of other merchandise donated to us to sell in our gift shop. Please stop in and browse any time the museum is open, Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.
Tours and programs available
Private tours of the museum and programs about the history of Bella Vista are available outside of normal open hours for church groups, students, civic clubs, businesses, etc. To arrange for an event, please leave a message at the museum, 479-855-2335, or contact Xyta Lucas at 479-876-6118.
Hours of operation
The Historical Museum is located at the corner of Highway 71 and Kingsland, next door to the American Legion, and is open 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. The phone number is 479-855-2335. The website is www.bellavista.museum.org.
Community on 10/17/2018