Hours of Operation and Admission
Free Admission. Donations appreciated.
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
*The museum will be closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.*
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History was created to interpret our state’s military heritage from its territorial period to the present.
Located in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal–the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur–the museum preserves the contributions of Arkansas men and women who served in the armed forces.
Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items that vividly portray Arkansas’s military history at home and abroad.
503 E. 9th Street
Little Rock, AR 72202
Phone: (501) 376-4602
Email: MacArthur Museum
Museum Director, Stephan McAteer
Upcoming Traveling Exhibit: Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad
Opening September 4, 2026 – January 7, 2027
This Exhibit features color photographs and narratives that tell the story of the Underground Railroad and the enslaved people who risked their lives along its many routes. From the cotton plantations south of Natchitoches, Louisiana, all the way north to the Canadian border, this series of photographs by Jeanine Michna-Bales helps us imagine what the long road to freedom may have looked like as seen through the eyes of those who made this dangerous journey.
Newest Exhibit: Manufacturing Victory in Arkansas
Discover six statewide ordnance plants that produced and tested explosives for the frontlines of World War II while their employees quietly changed the way society functioned here in Arkansas.
Pop-Up Exhibit: Clara Barton
August 1, 2026 – October 31, 2026
After the war, Barton spearheaded the search for more than 60,000 missing soldiers at her Missing Soldiers Office in Washington, D.C. These wartime experiences directly inspired her later founding of the American Red Cross in 1881.
This exhibit includes ten banners that use a combination of photographs, illustrations, artifacts, and storytelling to share Barton’s story.
September’s Movie: Time of Fear
In World War II, more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and relocate to military camps. This documentary tells the story of the 16,000 men, women, and children who were sent to two camps in southeast Arkansas, one of the poorest and most racially segregated places in America.
Admission and refreshments are Free.
On the Road with Mark Christ
September 11, 2026 7am-7pm
Join us for a tour of three locations in Arkansas during the Civil War.
Call (501) 376-4602 or Email Stephan McAteer to reserve your spot
Allison Collection of World War II Photographs
During World War II, James Allison, a sports writer working for the Houston Press, noticed that many photographs not printed in the daily newspaper were routinely discarded. He received permission to save these images, and by war’s end he had amassed a collection of more than 4,600 photographs. In August 1977, Allison donated his collection to the Arkansas Museum of Science and History, located in the historic Arsenal building in MacArthur Park. Today, the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History owns and preserves these images.
Our History
Check out more of our story and the long history of the Arsenal building.
Educational Resources
Check out the different programs, guided/self-guided tours, teacher professional development and curriculum we offer.
Virtual Programming
Check out our extensive video catalog on Youtube and our Podcast.
Museum Commission Meetings
Check out the past and present meeting agendas of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Commission Board.