Old State House Museum

The Old State House Museum is housed in what was once Arkansas' first capitol building and is the oldest standing state capitol west of the Mississippi River. The museum now houses artifacts and exhibits from throughout Arkansas' history and lends an air of patriotism and history to events held within its walls and on its grounds. Available spaces include the historic Riverfront Room and the sprawling front lawn with its historic monuments and iconic fountain.

Now known as the Old State House Museum, the building houses an Arkansas history museum and the National Historic Landmark is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. Permanent exhibits include: Pillars of Power, exploring the history of the Old State House; Arkansas' First Families, featuring Arkansas First Ladies' gowns and the 1836 and 1885 House of Representatives chambers. Visit the Old State House Museum in downtown Little Rock!

During the Civil War, Union and Confederate forces alternately occupied it. During Reconstruction, with many black men registering to vote, eight African Americans were delegates to the 1868 Constitutional Convention, held in this building. The new constitution recognized the equality of all persons before the law, provided suffrage for freedmen, and required a system of free public education for blacks and whites (in separate schools.) Its collections, which are searchable online, include quilts by black Arkansans, photographs by African American photographer Geleve Grice, and music by Louis Jordan. Portions of the Arkansas Slave Narratives, collected by the Works Progress Administration in the 1940s, are available on the web-site.