Clinton Presidential Center and Park. Our first event Thursday evening will give everyone the opportunity to tour this nationally renowned facility on the bank of the Arkansas River. Peruse all 20,000 square feet of museum exhibit space, including a 110-foot-long timeline detailing the history of President Clinton and his administration. The timeline utilizes photographs, videos and interactive stations, and is flanked by thematic alcoves highlighting specific achievements during his time in office. Enjoy a power trip while standing in the full-scale replica of the Oval Office, or play the role of a cabinet member by using interactive media stations in a replica of the Cabinet Room. The upstairs alcoves contain displays about life in the White House, including personal artifacts from the former First Family. Located at 1200 President Clinton Ave. Museum hours Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. –5 p.m.(501) 374-4242.

Historic Arkansas Museum. The Saturday Fish Fry Hoedown takes place at HAM and we recommend you take the time that evening, or even before, to enjoy the exhibits. Modernization has been a major theme in the recent history of the Historic Arkansas Museum, whose grounds display some of Little Rock’s oldest homes. The museum’s permanent exhibits include historic Arkansas-made art and pieces from contemporary Arkansas artists. (The work of Arkansas Times staff photographer Brian Chilson is currently on display in an exhibit titled “Politics, Rock Stars, Sports and Architecture.”) The museum’s five pre-Civil War buildings, including the 1826 Hinderliter Grog Shop, offer perhaps the single best opportunity to learn about the early history of the state. Take a tour, and you’ll encounter actors who portray Arkansans from various periods and predicaments. There’s also an impressive gift shop and a living-history theater. 200 E. Third St. Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. (501) 324-9351. www.arkansashistory.com 

Old State House Museum. Set in the oldest surviving state capitol building west of the Mississippi River, the Old State House Museum has been designated a National Historic Landmark, though it is probably best known throughout the country as the scene of President Bill Clinton’s 1992 and 1996 election-night celebrations. The magnificent Greek Revival building, overlooking the Arkansas River, houses a multimedia museum of Arkansas history with a special emphasis on women’s history, political history and educational programming for school children. Don’t miss the Museum Shop, with hard-to-find regional books, plus historical souvenirs, crafts and vintage-style jewelry. 300 W. Markham. Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Free. (501)324-9685; www.oldstatehouse.com. 

River Market. Located in the heart of downtown Little Rock’s River Market District, the River Market is a collection of owner-operated shops, stalls and market-style retailers that offer everything from fresh veggies to ornate jewelry. The River Market consists of a Farmer’s Market, Market Hall, pavilions and plazas. The Market Hall houses permanent merchants who offer a growing list of year-round specialties — oven-baked pastries and breads, hand-roasted gourmet coffee and specialty drinks, mouth-watering barbecue, organic veggies and foods, not to mention the international array of cuisine available. In the spring and summer, don’t miss the Farmer’s Market, where local farmers gather to sell their wares on Tuesdays and Saturdays until 2 p.m. and on Thursday evenings. The River Market District, once a derelict warehouse area, was transformed in 1996 with the debut of the River Market. It has been a hip place to hang out ever since, with happening nightspots and a number of art galleries and shops. 400 East Markham St. 501-375-2552; www.rivermarket.info. 

Cox Creative Center(Showcase Arkansas Gallery). With over 400 works from Arkansas artists in its permanent collection, this gallery is dedicated to documenting and preserving the state’s art for future generations. Part of the Central Arkansas Library System, this public space also presents invitational exhibits in addition to its collection of paintings, fabrics, sculptures, and ceramics. The gallery is located in the Cox Creative Center, a renovated machinery warehouse built in 1906. Two locally owned businesses, RiverMarket Books & Gifts and Boulevard Bread Company café, are on the first level of the building. 120 Commerce St. Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Closed Sunday. Free. (501) 918-3090; www.cals.lib.ar.us. 

Museum of Discovery. Proving that you’re never too old to learn something new, the Museum of Discovery is not just for kids. Dedicated to exploring the sciences, social sciences and technology, it is as entertaining as it is educational. Interactive and hands-on exhibits cover a broad range of topics: you can create crafts at the Imagination Station, explore the major parts of the body in the Health Hall or learn about Arkansas’s rich Native American heritage. Meanwhile, Passport to the World explores the cultures of other countries. The museum also hosts numerous traveling exhibits and special events. 500 President Clinton Ave. Hours: Monday–Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.(501) 396-7050; www.amod.org. 

Arkansas Arts Center. Friday evening’s event takes place here, allowing everyone the opportunity to tour the collections, along with the exhibit “Pursuing Picasso.” The state’s largest cultural institution is housed in a striking facility where art lovers will find plenty to appreciate (there are more than a dozen galleries to browse). For over 30 years, AAC has built a collection of unique works on paper, primarily American and European, from the Renaissance to the present. Among the most recognizable works in the collection are sheets by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keeffe, Rembrandt and Rubens. The collection also features 135 drawings and watercolors by the Post-Impressionist Paul Signac, over 100 Post-Minimalist drawings, Arthur Dove’s Sketchbook “E”, and nearly 80 works by Will Barnet. Masterworks in the collection include paintings by Diego Rivera, Odilon Redon and Francesco Bassano; sculpture by Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson and Roy Lichtenstein; and prints by Rembrandt, Whistler and Dürer. The second major area of the collection is contemporary objects in craft media, including teapots by contemporary artists, contemporary baskets, turned wood objects, studio glass, ceramics, metalwork and toys designed by artists. Among the highlights are works by Dale Chihuly, Albert Paley, Peter Voulkos and Dorothy Gill Barnes. In addition to the collection and prominent exhibits throughout the year, the Arts Center is host to other cultural venues and prides itself on attracting quality exhibits to the state. While here, you will see “Pursuing Picasso” on Friday night. The Arkansas Arts Center is the only museum in the United States where you can see this exclusive exhibit. (Read more on page 6.)

Visit them on the web for an updated exhibit listing. Ninth and Commerce streets. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Monday. Free; donations welcome. (501) 372-4000; www.arkarts.com. 

Central High School National Historic Site. In 1997, the museum and visitor center opened to mark the 40th anniversary of the integration of the high school. In what became known throughout the world as the “Central High Crisis,” nine black students were denied entrance to all-white Little Rock Central High School. Following the failure of talks with Gov. Orval Faubus, President Eisenhower called out the Army to escort the students into the school. Little Rock later came to be known as the city where the federal government took a stand on ending segregation. Construction of a new Visitors Center is scheduled to begin this month. 2125 Daisy Bates Drive. Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m.Free. (501) 374-1957; www.nps.gov/chsc/ 

Julius Breckling Riverfront Park. If you feel the need to get some fresh air, then you’ll want to check out Riverfront Park and the Riverfront Trail. Those staying on the Little Rock side of the river will find the trail right behind the Peabody. Just head towards the river and you’ll run into the trail. Take a right (or east) and you’ll head towards the Clinton Library. It’s great running and rollerblading on the trail, sidewalks and streets surrounding the River Market/Clinton Library/Heifer Project area. Take note of the trolley tracks! The North Little Rock side also has the Riverfront Trail and it’s actually a little flatter and has less traffic than the Little Rock side. (501) 371-4770.