The Old State House Museum is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage

Freedom of Information Act requests regarding the records of the Old State House Museum should be addressed to:

Organization and Operations

The Old State House was Arkansas’s first capitol building and served this purpose from 1836 until 1911. As the seat of Arkansas’s early government, the Old State House has a rich and colorful past that includes many events of historic significance.

After the exodus of state government the original Capitol building was adapted for use by the Medical Department of the University of Arkansas. In 1921, after several attempts to sell or demolish the structure, preservation of the building was assured by passage of Act 385 designating it the Arkansas State War Memorial. The American Legion and various state patriotic organizations used space in the structure not occupied by the Medical Department. The Medical Department vacated the building in 1935 allowing room for several state and federal agencies during the Great Depression.

In 1947 Act 255 was passed and provided money to restore the dilapidated War Memorial Building while Act 256 of the same year established the Arkansas Commemorative commission as the governing body for the newly created state museum located therein. Act 114 of 1951 allowed the Arkansas History Commission use of the west wing for its archives, with the remainder of the building open as a museum. The same act also changed the building’s name from the War Memorial Building to the Old State House. In 1997 the structure finally was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.

Act 256 of 1947 allows the Arkansas Commemorative Commission to acquire, in the name of the State, historic buildings. The Commission acquired Trapnall Hall (423 E. Capitol Avenue) in 1976 and the historic house now serves as a public rental facility and the Governor’s official receiving hall.

The Arkansas Commemorative Commission was renamed the Old State House Commission by Act 68 of 2001 and continues, unchanged, its role as the policy making authority for the museum. Today the Old State House is a nationally recognized history museum and is accredited by the American Association of Museums. Its mission is “to interpret the history of Arkansas from statehood to the present, to preserve the Old State House and to collect and preserve artifacts that aid in that interpretation and preservation.”

Museum educational programs are presented throughout the state and access to museum collections, including Arkansas Confederate battle flags, quilts by African-American Arkansans, Arkansas First Ladies’ gowns and Arkansas art pottery, are known requested and disseminated world-wide. The Old State House actively publishes the results of scholarship on its artifact collections and produces literature to accompany exhibits featuring Arkansas topics. Two new exhibits each year interpret subjects in Arkansas history, some of which are accessible via the Internet.

Records maintained by OSH

Databases

Visitor statistics, information requests, mailing lists, exhibit research

Media information

Available through the museum's Public Information Office and website

Arkansas History and conservation library

Books and documents available by appointment

Museum collections

Artifacts and documents available for showing by appointments

Regulations and Rules of Procedure

The Old State House Commission follows bylaws adopted by the Commission. Rules have been adopted for the public use and fee structure for the museum.