BENTONVILLE -- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art welcomes families with children of almost any age. Even the occasional baby stroller can be seen among the crowds. Exposure to paintings and sculptures is mind-expanding, even for whiny youngsters who wish they were somewhere else.
That "somewhere else" could be the boldly colorful building that visitors pass as they turn onto Museum Way heading into Crystal Bridges. It's Scott Family Amazeum, and the promise of a visit after a not-too-long art tour may serve to entice any recalcitrant offspring.
The Amazeum bills itself as "a hands-on interactive museum for children of all ages and their families. We want you to get in here and make a mess, get a little wet (you might want to bring extra clothes), climb and sing!"
If anything, there's too much going on here to be absorbed in a single visit. The museum's brochure is not exaggerating in its promise that "We have so much for you to do. Make a 10-foot-tall SpongeBob SquarePants come to life in the Nickelodeon PlayLab. Send foam boxes flying on conveyor belts and have fun with air tubes in General Mills Lift, Load & Haul. Have fun (and get wet) making water dance, spray and move in Nature Valley Water Amazements."
And there's more: "Learn how creative you are! Make a masterpiece in the Art Studio or take something apart in the 3M Tinkering Hub. Kids of all ages can role-play in the Market sponsored by Wal-Mart. Build a stick fort in our outdoor space or watch the changing scenes in the Cloud Theater. Have fun with chocolatey goodness and sweet stuff in Hershey's Lab."
As those promotional pitches suggest, there's plenty of corporate sponsorship supporting the Amazeum. Opened in July 2015, it emulates Disney theme parks and assorted other attractions in that regard. Cynics might cavil that it serves cunningly as a training ground for future consumers of the sponsors' products. But who wants to be a spoilsport?
The Amazeum is named for the Scott family that includes Lee Scott, former chief executive of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Its interior encompasses about 50,000 square feet, with more activities available on an acre of outdoor play space.
Unlike Crystal Bridges, the Amazeum does charge admission (for anyone age 2 or older). But there are so-called Priceless Nights most Wednesdays from 4 to 7:30, during which families can visit and make a donation of their choosing rather than pay full admission.
One Amazeum section requires an additional ticket (at no extra charge). It's that popular Hershey's Lab, where youngsters take part in one of six rotating science experiments. The newest is Chocolate Adventure, an interactive board game that explores how chocolate is made.
One of the most creative areas, the Art Studio, features a painting room where children use brushes or just their fingers to paint on the glass walls. The resulting designs and pictures are visible from outside the studio. The painting can be messy, but plastic aprons are provided. The energy of the young artists erases any doubt that making a mess is a lot of fun.
Scott Family Amazeum, 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday (plus Priceless Nights until 7:30 most Wednesdays). Admission is $9.50 per person 2 years old and up; free for tykes under age 2. Visit amazeum.org or call (479) 696-9280.
Style on 02/28/2017