Crystal Bridges and the Momentary Announce 2025 Exhibitions

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary recently announced its complete list of 2025 exhibitions, which explore a wide range of works from past and present cultural icons. Here’s a look at what’s coming to the museums next year and a few updates on the expansion project at Crystal Bridges.

Crystal Bridges 2025 Exhibitions

• KAWS: FAMILY | Mar 15–Jul 28, 2025: Crystal Bridges presents the Arkansas debut of KAWS: FAMILY, an expanded exhibition originally organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario. Featuring iconic characters, heartfelt sculptures, and dynamic works like drawings, paintings, and collaborations, the show explores human emotions through KAWS’ unique lens.

• Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture | Sep 13, 2025–Jan 26, 2026: Explore the intersection of sports, art, and culture at Get in the Game. From iconic athletes like Diana Nyad and Kobe Bryant to Billie Jean King’s Battle of the Sexes, the exhibition captures unforgettable stories and the passion of competition. Organized by SFMOMA, this immersive experience showcases art, design, and interactive moments that celebrate the spirit of sports.

The Momentary 2025 Exhibitions

• Best in Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography | Nov 23, 2024–Apr 13, 2025: Celebrate our furry and feathered companions through Best in Show. Featuring works by artists like William Wegman, Walter Chandoha, and Sophie Gamand, the exhibition explores pets as symbols of loyalty, status, and compassion. Organized by Fotografiska New York, it highlights the role of pets in art and culture. Visitors can even bring their own pets to the galleries!

• The Prison Concerts: Folsom and San Quentin | May 24–Oct 12, 2025:

  Discover Jim Marshall’s legendary photos of Johnny Cash at his iconic Folsom and San Quentin prison concerts. This GRAMMY Museum-organized exhibition features 25 powerful images capturing Cash’s performances, his advocacy for prisoners’ rights, and the behind-the-scenes moments of 1968–1969. A must-see for music and photography fans alike.

• Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues, and Soul | May 24–Oct 12, 2025: Step into the electrifying world of live music with Front Row Center. Featuring over 70 images by Larry Hulst, the exhibition spans three decades of rock, blues, and soul legends, from Jimi Hendrix to Lauryn Hill. Relive the energy of music history through Hulst’s captivating lens.

• The Machine Behind the Art: Inside JR’s Printing Press | May 24, 2025–Jun 7, 2026: Experience art in action with The Machine Behind the Art. Step inside JR’s oversized printing press to transform your portrait into a unique piece of art. This immersive installation brings the artist’s creative process to life, leaving every visitor with a tangible, one-of-a-kind print.

Crystal Bridges Expansion Project

Progress continues to be made on Crystal Bridges’ 114,000-square-foot expansion, led by the acclaimed Safdie Architects. An all-new installation of the museum’s renowned, fast-growing art collection will offer a fresh pathway for visitors to explore the diverse range of American stories, its people, and its places. In 2025, teams will begin to transform the galleries, offering guests a glimpse into how exhibitions are created and artworks are reinstalled throughout the museum. Crystal Bridges will remain open during this time.

Design highlights include two new galleries that will allow the museum to display even more art; a dedicated floor with a series of educational spaces including community gathering areas, art studios, and flexible facilities; a new bridge connecting the two galleries that will add non-traditional space for art that is not sensitive to light; and areas for reflection and gathering, including a new café and courtyard. These new spaces will advance the exploration of art, further connections to the beauty of nature, and help better engage the community.

Set to open in 2026, the museum expansion is part of a larger project to create an Art + Wellness Campus on the 134-acre Crystal Bridges site. The unparalleled campus will incorporate Heartland Whole Health Institute and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, joined to the museum with miles of landscaped trails and art installations.