The Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial is a must see in central Arkansas. The Memorial is located in MacArthur Park, 503 East Ninth Street, Little Rock, next to the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, one block from the I-30 and 9th Street exit in Little Rock.  

The names of 461 Arkansans killed in the Korean War are listed on beautiful black granite panels.  The panels also contain interesting and informative information concerning the Korean War.  The information panels surround impressive statues of seven foot tall combat soldiers and Korean children.  The symbolism of the statues is explained on an information panel.  A unique aspect of this Memorial is the fact that most of the money for the construction of the Memorial came from the Republic of Korea to honor the veterans that fought and died for their freedom.  This is one of the most impressive Korean War Memorials in the United States.  Take time to come, see, and learn more about the Korean War; it will be time well spent.

Constructed between 1899 and 1915 on the former site of the state penitentiary, the Arkansas State Capitol is the vital heart of the state's government. Rich in history, craftsmanship and architectural distinction, the Neo-Classical structure won general praise for its elegant proportions. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, elected officials, legislators, committees and delegations carry on "the people's business" while thousands of visitors enjoy the Capitol's warm welcome. Permanent exhibits chart the history of the Capitol, while changing displays in the first-floor galleries highlight aspects of Arkansas history, art and popular culture. Portraits of past governors, Supreme Court Justices and legislators bring visitors "face to face" with the men and women who have shaped Arkansas. Guided tours are available on weekdays; reservations are advised. The Capitol is easily accessed from I-630. Visitor parking is available on Woodlane St. and in the parking lot at the corner of Woodlane and Capitol.

The Central Arkansas Library System's (CALS) art program is located in the Arkansas Studies Institute (ASI), 401 President Clinton Ave. The ASI houses four art galleries, including a retail gallery, featuring the work of Arkansas artists and art related to the state. The exhibit galleries feature rotating exhibits including works from the CALS permanent collection.

The Georgian Colonial-style home, completed in 1950 during Governor Sidney McMath's term, incorporated brick from the old Arkansas School for the Blind, which originally occupied the site, and has been the home of all Arkansas Governors. A bust of President Clinton, who lived there during the 12 years of his Governorship, is displayed just inside the grounds.

The Mansion schedules tours on an individual basis. Requests may be made by calling 501-324-9805. Tours are scheduled on Tuesday mornings, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., and Thursday afternoons, from 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Times are subject to house availability. The tours include visits to all public rooms. There is no admission fee.

Historic Arkansas Museum celebrates Arkansas' cultural and material heritage with six galleries of Arkansas art and artifacts, an interactive children's gallery, orientation theater, museum store with Arkansas products and more. Take time to tour the state's oldest neighborhood, where medicine came from the herb garden and the newspaper was printed on a hand-operated press. Four original Little Rock dwellings on the museum's grounds provide the setting as expert tour guides describe life on the Arkansas frontier and costumed Living History actors portray early Arkansans. Historic Arkansas Museum is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

The new Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Visitor Center opened in September 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the high school's desegregation, when nine African-American students entered the school under federal troop protection. In 1957 the school became a crucial battleground in the struggle for civil rights. The nation watched as the "Little Rock Nine" attempted to enter the previously all-white school. With the help of television news, then in its infancy, the events commanded worldwide attention. Dramatic images of the conflict, along with the school's facade, seared themselves into the public's memory. Little Rock came to symbolize the federal government's commitment to eliminating separate systems of education for blacks and whites.

The Little Rock Welcome Center opened in May 2002 in the MacArthur Park Historic District in downtown Little Rock. It is located in the historic Walters-Curran-Bell House, also known as Curran Hall, built in 1842 by Col. Ebenezer Walters as a wedding gift for his bride, Mary Eliza Starbuck. The property, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, was later owned by James Moore Curran and his wife, Sophie Fulton, daughter of William Savin Fulton, Arkansas' last territorial governor and first U. S. senator. Other owners included Mary Eliza Woodruff Bell, daughter of William E. Woodruff, founder of the Arkansas Gazette. Averell Reynolds Tate, Bell's granddaughter, was the last resident of the house and lived in Curran Hall until the early 1990s. The city of Little Rock and the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission acquired the house in 1996 and renovated it to serve as the city's first official visitor information and welcome center.

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, located in the historic Arsenal Building, interprets our state's military heritage and honors the contributions of Arkansas servicemen and women, at home and abroad, who served in military conflicts from the state's territorial period to the present. The Arsenal Building, a National Historic Landmark and one of Little Rock's oldest surviving structures, was built in 1840 to protect Arkansans from Indian attack. It witnessed pivotal exchanges between Federal and Confederate forces during the Civil War and later became the birthplace of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History ensures that "old soldiers never die." Instead, their sacrifice and service are preserved for future generations. 

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History announces a new exhibit focused on Arkansans who have received the nation’s highest individual military service award: the Medal of Honor. The exhibit, “By the President in the Name of Congress: Arkansas Medal of Honor Recipients,” opens to the public Friday, in advance of Veteran’s Day.

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy that can be bestowed upon an individual in the Armed Services of the United States. The award recognizes action distinguished by gallantry “at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty.” Established early in the Civil War, the Medal of Honor rose to prominence in American military history. Fewer than 3,500 Americans have received the award and today approximately 100 recipients survive.

The exhibit examines the 25 Arkansans whose service – above and beyond the call of duty – earned them the Medal of Honor. “Their bravery and sacrifice exemplify the rich military heritage of our state and its citizens,” says Stephan McAteer, museum director.

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, is Arkansas's state-funded museum dedicated to the story of African American life and business in Arkansas.

Located at West Ninth and Broadway Streets in Little Rock, the Cultural Center offers educational programs, exhibits, genealogy research files, hundreds of artifacts and includes the art if Isaac Scott Hathaway.  The Hathaway Collection is believed to be the largest of its kind.

Isaac Scott Hathaway, an African American artist, studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and later established the ceramic department at Branch Normal College in Pine Bluff (UAPB), and Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.  Most notably, Hathaway was the first African American artist commissioned to design a circulating coin for the United States Mint.  He created the Booker T. Washington half dollar in 1946 and the Booker T. Washington/George Washington Carver half dollar in 1951.

Established in 1843, Mount Holly is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It has become the final resting place for some of the state's most prominent people. Buried here are Pulitzer Prize-winning poet John Gould Fletcher and executed Confederate spy David O. Dodd, as well as five Confederate generals, 10 former Arkansas governors and six U. S. senators. The earliest birth-date recorded is that of Peter LeFevre, born in Canada in 1750.

The Old Mill is famous for the opening scene in the movie, "Gone With The Wind", made in 1939. (It is believed to be the only remaining structure from the film.) It is a very restful site with flowers blooming twelve months of the year. Sculptured concrete work known as faux bois, includes numerous bridges, benches, baskets, etc., sculpted to look like real wood. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The historic Old State House opened in 1833, serving as Arkansas' first state capitol building until 1911. This Greek Revival-style structure may be most recognized as the backdrop for Bill Clinton's bids for the Presidency in 1992 and 1996. Today, the building houses a museum of Arkansas history. Permanent exhibits include: Pillars of Power, exploring the history of the Old State House; Arkansas' First Families, featuring 30 Arkansas First Ladies' gowns; Grandmother's Cottage, a hands-on children's exhibit; the Arkansas Wilderness gallery and the 1836 and 1885 House of Representatives chambers. 

Guided tours are available seven days a week. Reservations are required for group tours. The Old State House is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is designated a National Historic Landmark.

The staff of The Empress invites you to journey back to 1888  with our Historical Tours and Teas.
 
James H. Hornibrooks’ vision was made real over 120 years ago.  Now, you can experience this breathtaking Victorian described in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as “Queen Anne on Steroids”. The Hornibrook Mansion was completed in 1888 at a cost of $20,000 and exclusively used Arkansas materials.

Historical Tours:
$7.50 per person, $10.00 during holiday season and children under 10, $5.00.

Buses welcome, group tours by appointment. Holiday rates & restrictions may apply.

Tea and Tour:
Homemade Irish craisin scones topped with clotted cream and lemon curd served with our specialty teas,  plus a 45 minute tour of the Hornibrook mansion. $12.50 per person ($15.00 at Christmas) minimum 10 people.

High Tea and Tour:
Cranberry scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, finger sandwiches, finger sweets, fresh fruit, our signature hand dipped chocolate-covered cherries, and specialty teas, plus a tour of the mansion. $35.00 per person ($40.00 at Christmas) minimum 10 people.

Brunch and Tour:
A unique fruit sorbet or fruit soup followed by a delectable main course, side dish, and garnished with lush fresh fruit. Tour of the mansion. $35.00 per person ($40.00 at Christmas) minimum 10 people.

All Teas & Brunches are served in the formal dining room with Pomp & Circumstance as befitting a more “genteel era”.

Dedicated to Arkansans who served in Vietnam and inscribed with the names of those who lost their lives. Other monuments on the Capitol grounds include the Monument to Confederate Soldiers, Liberty Bell, Bauxite Boulder, Granite Centennial Boulder. Confederate War Prisoners Memorial, Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial, Memorial Fountain and Monument to Confederate Women.

The Villa Marre combines features of the Italianate and Second Empire styles and was built in 1881 for saloonkeeper Angelo Marre. It has become famous, however, as the home featured in the TV show Designing Women. In 1980, the Quapaw Quarter Association, a local preservation group, bought the home and provided tours; in 2002, it was purchased and is now a private residence.