Much better than expected! Does anyone know this museum exists? Locals I have mentioned it to all…read morereplied "do what? where?" There is no official admission fee, a meager $2 donation per visitor is suggested on an acrylic box at the entrance. Housing a small collection of regional artifacts; informative displays about the life and everyday items of the indigenous people. A reconstructed Mastodon (a replica from a cast) stands in the entryway, a number of real fossils are on display. "Old Town Arkansas" is a walkthrough display of shops and offices from the early 1800's. This is a kid friendly place with a number of interactive displays and activities. If you don't expect this to be the MET, you will not be disappointed. Yes it is a small place but I really enjoyed the visit and will follow the website to see future exhibits.

Pretty fun and free! Great place to take kids since they have a couple interactive exhibits and…read moresome interesting nooks just for kids. Thanks have some neat facts about the history of the area and its really interesting to learn more about it. They also have a dinosaur exhibit and local animal exhibit(not live animals).

Johnny Cash's boyhood home is not far off of the highway in Dyess, Arkansas and as I was heading to…read morea business meeting in Blytheville, Arkansas, I had to stop and see where one of the most iconic singers of his time once called home (and in his heart would probably always consider home). I travel a lot in business and it is cool to come across these finds. If you ever find yourself in Dyess, Arkansas, I would recommend a visit here.

We're not ones to shy away from quirky tourist stops, and with limited options nearby, we made the…read moreone-hour trek to see Johnny Cash's boyhood home. Tucked in a rundown little town, the experience still felt worthwhile...and let's be honest, the town is definitely capitalizing on the legacy of The Man in Black. But something tells me Johnny wouldn't mind one bit. The visit starts in a modest welcome center with memorabilia and a short film. Then, in classic small-town style, you follow behind the guide in your car about two miles to the actual home. The house is small, simple, and humble, just as you'd imagine a Depression-era homestead to be. It's been lovingly restored and really does feel like a window into Johnny's early life. Afterward, you head back to town to explore another small exhibit focused on homesteading history and a bit more on Johnny himself. It was a perfectly fine way to spend the afternoon, especially if you're a Cash fan or enjoy a dose of Americana. Only disappointment? The t-shirts for sale were kind of blah. Come on, people...give us some merch worthy of an American legend.

A really nicely done museum. Great exhibits, tons of blues trivia and history. Filled with stuff…read moreabout the highway 61 migration route. The ladies working the gift shop are adorable.

One of the best music museums I've been to. Not big, but rich in texture and personalities. Worth…read moreit! Note: one reviewer said it's free. It's not: $15 general admission. Double worth it!

This is definitely worth a stop if you have any interest in the culture of the lower Mississippi…read moreRiver delta. The facility is located within a former train depot, and is well kept. The staff members are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. The restrooms are also a bit nicer than the ones at the state visitors' center (Arkansas Welcome Center), located down the road by the Mississippi River highway bridge.

This place is the go-to location for learning about the Arkansas Delta, the Civil War and Blues…read moreMusic! Amazing!

The Sultana: The Greatest Maritime Disaster in US History. Yes,... even worse than The Titanic…read more This disaster received little public attention, as it took place at the end of the Civil War, after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and the day after John Wilkes Booth was killed. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. Under the terms of the surrender agreement, POWs were to be freed and sent home as soon as possible. Union prisoners from Andersonville, GA and Cahaba, AL were sent to Vicksburg, MS to ship home up the MS River. The government offered to pay boat owners $5 per enlisted man and $10 per officer transported. The Sultana left Vicksburg on April 24th with more than 2,300 prisoners of war (plus an additional number of crew and passengers and a large shipment of sugar bound for Memphis). It's legal carrying capacity was only 376 passengers. The Sultana had pulled into Vicksburg at about the same time as two other boats (the Pauline Caroll and the Lady Gay); however, those 2 boats left with 0 soldiers. To make matters worse, a boiler had to be patched while in port at Vicksburg. The mechanic warned it would need to be properly fixed once up north. At about 2am on April 27th 1865, the steamboat's boilers exploded. Over 1,800 of the Sultana's +2,300 passengers were killed just north of Marion, Arkansas. The 1,800 people were burned to death, drowned or died of hypothermia. After the disaster, people wanted to determine the cause of the Sultana explosion as well as why it was so overcrowded. Many concluded that Mason, the captain and part owner of the Sultana, bribed Union officers into letting him transport as many freed prisoners as possible so that he would make lots of money; however, Mason was killed in the accident. Captain Frederick Speed, a Union army officer, was found guilty of overcrowding the Sultana. But his verdict was overturned by the army. So in the end, the U.S. Army never punished anyone for the disaster.

This is a terrific museum dedicated to a disaster that has largely been forgotten, lost in the…read moreaftermath of the Civil War. There is a great introductory film, and then several rooms of artifacts and interpretive material about this event, the largest maritime loss of life in American history. The passionate and deeply knowledgeable guide made our visit very special. Highly recommended.

This museum has developed thru the years, the director is committed to its curation and is quite…read moreknowledgeable about the history of Blytheville and Surroundings, with an emphasis on the local Indian cultures, also the director has an impressive formal education background along with many hours of field work.

Such a cool museum, highly recommend if you're heading through town. The curator was very…read moreknowledgeable about local history.

Absolutely loved this museum. So much history, especially Civil war history which is my favorite!…read moreThis is definitely a diamond in this town. Ok,... random history lesson to go along with it! Thomas Carmichael Hindman, Jr. was a voice for Arkansas's secession and was essentially Arkansas's most prominent Fire-Eater. When Arkansas voted 65-5 to secede in May 1861, Hindman resigned from the U.S. Congress and recruited a regiment in Helena. He requested the state government for muskets, clothing, and 10 days of rations so that his men could "fight for our country." By September 1861, Hindman was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and soon participated in the disastrous Kentucky Campaign, followed by the Battle of Shiloh, where he was slightly wounded. After his recovery, Hindman was promoted to Major General and appointed commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department to prevent an invasion by the Union troops led by Samuel Curtis. Events in Arkansas had taken a terrible turn, and when Hindman arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas, he found that his command was "bare of soldiers, penniless, defenseless, and dreadfully exposed" to the Federal Army that was approaching. Hindman commenced a campaign of misinformation designed to mislead Federal authorities about the strength of the state's defenses. He also diverted Texas troops bound for Virginia for use in the defense of Arkansas. This confused the Federal authorities, causing them to divert from the capital and instead move to Helena. By August 1862, the authorities in Richmond decided to replace him (due to locals and political opponents complaints) with Theophilus H. Holmes. Hindman convinced Holmes to give him a field command in northern Arkansas. Hindman managed to intercept the Federal army while it was divided into 2 parts. Rather than attack the divided pieces, Hindman entrenched himself at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, allowing the Federal forces to recombine and assault him. After Prairie Grove, Hindman was transferred across the river and participated in the Battle of Chickamauga alongside his friend Pat Cleburne. After being wounded in the neck at Chickamauga, Hindman and his legion continued to fight along with the Army of Tennessee against General William Tecumseh Sherman, across north Georgia from the First Battle of Dalton to the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. On July 4, 1864, at Kennesaw Mountain he was struck in the eye by a tree limb and fell off his horse. Hindman suffered severe injuries that left him unfit for service and made him have to recouperate. Afterwards, he applied for a transfer to the Trans-Mississippi Department. His request was denied, but Jefferson Davis offered a leave of absence until he had fully recovered from his "physical disability". Hindman set out for Texas and arrived in San Antonio and settled there with his family for the time being. By May 1865, Confederate generals in New Orleans signed a document detailing terms of surrender. Hindman refused to surrender and, along with many other ex-Confederates, he crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico and sought asylum. He engaged in coffee planting and attempted to practice law. By April 1867, he was confident enough to return to Arkansas and apply to President Andrew Johnson for a pardon. Hindman's application was one of the few denied. At around 9:30 on the night of September 27, 1868, Hindman was assassinated by unknown assailants who fired through his parlor window while he was reading his newspaper with his children. The musket shots hit Hindman in the jaw, throat and hands, and he died 8 hours later due to significant blood loss, ending the life of Arkansas' highest ranking Confederate military officer. Before his death, Hindman gave a farewell speech from the porch of his house. He told listeners to "unite their courage and determination to bring peace to the people." "I do not know who killed me; but I can say, whoever it was, I forgive him." "I forgive everybody, and hope they will forgive me." Afterwards, he was too weak to continue speaking, and he sat down on a lounge. He remained there until he died early next morning. Hindman's assassins were never caught.

Wonderful local museum with an amazing collection!read more

This place is definitely nice to walk around. If you like nature you'll enjoy it. The house changes…read more$5 to do the tour inside but you're able to walk around the property at no cost. They also have trails you can hop on and just explore and enjoy the weather (spring-fall) winter not sure. It's nice to keep history alive regardless of what subject matter it is. It shapes all of us in a way or another. The people in the house were nice and informative. Definitely check it out, enjoy and learn a bit.

The last time I visited Rowan Oak was in the 80's. Time does stand still (sometimes)…read more A visit to Oxford Ms. and a visit to William Faulkner home is a must. We missed the last tour but got to roam the beautiful grounds. If you are in Oxford stop in and check it out!

If you're ever on the campus of ASU, this art museum is very worthy of your time, and thus a visit…read more Admission is free.