The early days of the Arkansas Arts Center

On Saturday, May 18, 1963, amidst fanfare and fans of the arts, the Arkansas Arts Center officially opened its doors. The dedication featured remarks from U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, Rep. Wilbur Mills, Little Rock Mayor Byron Morse and Winthrop and Jeanette Rockefeller.

Among the exhibits for the grand opening was one from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled “Five Centuries of European Painting.” In Little Rock for six months, this exhibit featured works by El Greco, Titian, Monet, Renoir, Degas and Gauguin, among others and spanned from the 15th-century Early Renaissance era to the 19th century.

– Scott Carter, City of Little Rock