Capital Week kicked off yesterday with yesterday’s Architeaser featuring an Ionic buff column at Little Rock City Hall, which turns 104 this month.
Today’s Capital is of the Corinthian variety.
Tag Archives: Little Rock City Hall
Preservation Conversations: Historic Tile
When one sees a restored building or a building in need of restoration – the quality of tile work is often a key factor in the success. Little Rock City Hall and the Capital Hotel are two notable examples of restorations which have showcased their historic tiles. With that in mind, this month’s Quapaw Quarter Association “Preservation Conversation” is on historic tiles.
Bryan Byrd, a ceramic engineer at American Restoration Tile will be giving the presentation. American Restoration Tile is a custom ceramic tile manufacturing company based here in Little Rock. It specializes in reproducing the tiles of the past to facilitate restoration of historically significant buildings and residences. We use modern manufacturing technology and decades of ceramic engineering experience to exactly duplicate the sizes and colors of old ceramic tile installations.
Beginning at 5:00, Curran Hall will be open for patrons to enjoy a glass of wine, programs start at 5:30 p.m. and last for one hour. After the official program concludes, all are invited to keep the conversation going and enjoy a discounted dinner at nearby Copper Grill, 300 East Third Street.
The Quapaw Quarter Association is a non-profit historic preservation advocacy organization whose mission is to promote the preservation of the historic buildings and neighborhoods of Greater Little Rock. Rhea Roberts is the Executive Director.
February Frieze Frame Friday, Part Deux
Today’s February Frieze Frame Friday is the entrance to the old Little Rock City Jail. This building, which sits behind City Hall, was the jail from the 1930s through the early 1960s. It now serves as a parking garage, Parks & Recreation maintenance area, and city employee fitness facility.
Though the entrance below the frieze has long been bricked in, the jail bars are still detectable above the frieze.
This building was constructed by the WPA. The classical meets deco style of the frieze is typical of the works from that era.
For decades a metal awning bisected the frieze making it undetectable to people who walked by it. But in 2007, as part of some renovations to the building (spearheaded by city employee Susan K. Langley), the awning was removed and the frieze became more prominent. (As prominent as can be when the frieze is right at Broadway street level and is blocked from Broadway traffic by balustrades.
A New Discovery Has Arrived!
The Museum of Discovery opens today! The mission of the Museum of Discovery is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.
In order to carry out this mission, the museum’s space has been completely remodeled and exhibits have been replaced. There are now nearly 90 customized, state-of-the-art, interactive science and technology showpieces in three new galleries focused on health, physical and earth sciences.
The first thing visitors will notice is that the Museum of Discovery has a new entrance. There is now a street-level front door on President Clinton Avenue. In 1927, when it was founded as the Museum of Natural History and Antiquities, it was in a storefront on Main Street. Since it moved to Little Rock City Hall in 1930, it has never had a street front entrance. The museum now has “curb appeal.”
Under the leadership of Executive Director Nan Selz, the renovated space boasts almost 6,000 additional square feet, primarily in the front entrance and reception area. The new space has a contemporary look and feel. A new theater, conference room and multi-purpose classrooms provide new teaching spaces and rental opportunities.
Also new to the museum is its tinkering studio, the first of its kind in Arkansas. Inside the 450 square-foot workshop, visitors will get the chance to create, invent and discover. The studio will serve as a model for future tinkering labs at partnering discovery network museums.
The museum’s new Explore Store will house a wide variety of inventive items that are both educational and fun that will serve as a way to continue one’s museum experience, and to encourage learning and creative play.
Funding has been provided by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. The Museum was awarded a $9.2 million grant which funded the new construction, the renovation of the old facility and the purchase of all-new exhibits.
Museum hours are:
Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday Closed (Open on Monday holidays)
Admission: $10 ages 12 and older, $8 ages 1-11, Free under age 1
Little Rock Culture Vulture 