History

Arkansas Air Museum Wander through a hangar showcasing planes from different eras of aviation; examine rare engines; watch as old aircraft are restored. 4290 South School St. Fayetteville, AR; +1 479 521 4947. Fee.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum Climb aboard the USS Razorback, a submarine that won battle ribbons in World War II and Vietnam; experience the wails of its torpedo alarm system; explore its hatches and ladders like a real crew member; check out the harbor tugs and other vessels including memorials to those lost in battle. 120 Riverfront Dr., North Little Rock, AR. +1 501 371 8320. Fee.

Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources Learn about Arkansas's 1920s oil boom and the prosperity that came from it; tour a 1920s boom town; go back 200 million years to discover the origins of oil; check out the full-sized derricks and equipment used to extract oil and brine from the region. 3853 Smackover Highway, Smackover, AR. +1 870 725 2877. Fee.

Central High School National Historic Site Witness how the Civil Rights movement impacted Arkansas; stroll through the commemorative garden; stop by the expanded visitor center. 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Dr., Little Rock, AR; +1 501 374 1957.

Fort Smith Museum of History Follow a timeline of Fort Smith's growth; take a trolley ride around the city; sit down for a root beer float at the old-fashioned soda fountain. 320 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith, AR; +1 479 783 7841. Fee.

Fort Smith National Historic Site Pause along the Trail of Tears; visit the 1817 Fort Smith and the Federal Court; learn all about the fort's military history; check out the reconstructed 1886 gallows; enjoy the park's trails along the Arkansas River. 301 Park Ave., Fort Smith, AR. +1 479 783 3961. Fee.

The Gangster Museum of America Learn about the gangsters of the 1920s through the 1940s who visited Hot Springs to relax, take in the hot springs, and engage in illegal activities, including Lucky Luciano and Al Capone; check out the town's history of illegal gambling and bootlegging through the museum's photographic displays and audiovisual presentations. 113 Central Ave., Hot Springs, AR. +1 501 318 1717. Fee.

Historic Arkansas Museum Watch living history reenactments of Arkansas's frontier days through the Civil War; check out the knife gallery to learn the details of the Bowie Knife's 175-year history; visit the oldest home still standing in Little Rock. 200 East Third St., Little Rock, AR. +1 501 324 9351.

Historic Washington State Park Go back to the 19th century at this collection of carefully restored and presented homes, shops, and other treasures; learn about Arkansas's architectural traditions, history, and pioneer culture through the park's interpretive programs; grab a hearty bite at Williams' Tavern Restaurant. Nine miles northwest of Hope via U.S. 278. +1 870 983 2684.

Ka-Do-Ha Indian Village Marvel at mounds made by the Caddo Indian tribe more than a thousand years ago; hunt for arrowheads; browse the museum and gift shop. 281 Kadoha Rd., Murfreesboro, AR; +1 870 285 3736. Fee.

Lakeport Plantation Visit the last-remaining antebellum plantation along the Mississippi River, fully restored and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; trace the development of cotton agriculture from frontier times through slavery to the sharecropping and tenant systems up to today's more mechanized processes. 601 Highway 142, Lake Village, AR. Fee. +1 870 265 6031.

Lower White River Museum State Park Learn about the region's history and the river's role in its economic development since frontier times from four life-sized replicas of local historical figures; explore the replica log cabin right next door; catch a painting class or crafts show. 2009 Main St., Des Arc, AR. +1 870 256 3711. Fee.

MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Visit Little Rock's Old Arsenal (1840), a National Historic Landmark and birthplace of World War II General Douglas MacArthur; take in Arkansas's military history from its days as a territory to the present. 503 East Ninth St., Little Rock, AR. +1 501 376 4602.

The Old Mill at T. R. Pugh Memorial Park Marvel at this reproduction of a 1880s grist mill; take advantage of some great photo ops of the mill that appeared in Gone with the Wind; explore its gardens and fanciful sculptures of tree stumps, toadstools, and a tree branch-entwined bridge. Fairway Ave. and Lakeshore Dr., North Little Rock, AR. +1 501 758 1424.

Old State House Museum Roam the Greek Revival mansion where Clinton celebrated his 1992 and 1996 election-night victories; explore multimedia exhibits on women's and political history; check out the robust collection of Civil War battle flags and the inaugural gowns of governors' wives. 300 West Markham, Little Rock, AR. +1 501 324 9685.

Parkin Archeological State Park Explore ongoing excavations of Native American artifacts from the village believed to be Casqui (circa A.D. 1000); visit a restored schoolhouse from circa 1910. Hwy 64 and Hwy 184, Parkin, AR; +1 870 755 2500. Fee.

Pea Ridge National Military Park Honor those who fought in the battle of Pea Ridge (Elkhorn Tavern); walk a portion of the Trail of Tears; watch a film about how Union troops saved Missouri from the Confederacy in 1862. 15930 Hwy 62, Garfield, AR; +1 479 451 8122. Fee.

Plantation Agriculture Museum State Park Learn about cotton agriculture in Arkansas from statehood in 1836 through World War II; check out the restored 1920s cotton gin and the wagon with full-sized replicas of harnessed mules; discover what farming life was like during the Plantation Era. U.S. 165 & Ark. 161, Scott, AR. +1 501 961 1409. Fee.

Hampson Archeological Museum State Park Inspect excavations of the Nodena people, who lived from A.D. 1400 to 1650; picnic by the playgrounds. 2 Lake Drive, Wilson, AR; +1 870 655 8622. Fee.

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park Wander the battlefield where 2,700 soldiers were killed or wounded; see artifacts from the battle; explore the Borden House and Rhea's Mill. 506 East Douglas, Prairie Grove, AR; +1 479 846 2990. Fee.

Saunders Memorial Museum Scope out the side arms of outlaws Jesse James, Annie Oakley, and Pancho Villa; view a 500-year-old Chinese pistol, admire an Arabian sheik's tent. 113-115 East Madison Ave., Berryville, AR; +1 870 423 2563. Fee.

Toltec Mounds Archaeological State Park Visit Arkansas's tallest remaining prehistoric Indian mound; learn about the significance of these earthen embankments that were part of a ceremonial and governmental space from A.D. 600-1050; take in a short film about the site at the theater; stroll the site's trails. 490 Toltec Mounds Rd., Scott, AR. +1 501 961 9442. Fee.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum View replicas of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room; follow a timeline of his life in the White House; discover artifacts from presidential history. 1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, AR; +1 501 374 4242. Fee.