Events at OIRM
Spring Family Day
The Old Independence Regional Museum is hosting its Spring Family Day on Saturday, March 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This free, family-friendly event celebrates Arkansas’s title as the “Natural State.”
Visitors can enjoy hands-on activities, nature-themed crafts, and live demonstrations from the Arkansas Trappers Association, local flintknappers, and more. The Tri-County Tractor Club will also be returning to the museum.
We hope you’ll come visit us at the Old Independence Regional Museum for a fun and educational day!
Homeschool Day
Join us for Homeschool Day on Friday, April 17, at the Old Independence Regional Museum from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM.
Students will enjoy hands-on crafts and engaging activities they’re sure to love! Kids will connect creativity with Arkansas history.
Our educational programming is designed for reading-age students to encourage participation and meaningful learning.
To register your students, please contact us or visit oirm.org.
(870) 793-2121
educator@oirm.org
380 S. 9th Street, Batesville, AR 72501
Spots are limited, so be sure to sign up soon!
Peace Officers Memorial Day
The Old Independence Regional Museum will host a ceremony in observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day on Friday, May 15, 2026, beginning at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to join in commemorating law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty.
The museum will welcome two guest speakers, along with a keynote address from Leslie Rutledge, Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. A local pastor will read the names of fallen officers from among the twelve counties that once made up Old Independence County and offer a prayer in their memory. An honor guard will host a flag demonstration.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as Police Week. This observance honors officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, as well as those who continue to serve and protect their communities with dedication and courage.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., features the names of more than 21,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty. Each year, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
This ceremony offers time to reflect on the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers, past and present. In this moment of remembrance, the community is invited to stand together in gratitude and respect.
Community support helps make these programs possible. To become a member, donate, or learn about volunteer opportunities, please contact the museum at (870) 793-2121 or visit oirm.org. Contributions help fund new exhibits and educational programming.
Homeschool Day
Come explore Arkansas maps and geography on Friday, March 20!
Join us for Homeschool Day on Friday, March 20, at the Old Independence Regional Museum from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM.
Students will enjoy hands-on crafts and engaging activities they’re sure to love! Kids will connect creativity with Arkansas history through interactive map activities and a fun scavenger hunt throughout the museum.
Our educational programming is designed for reading-age students to encourage participation and meaningful learning.
To register your students, please contact us or visit oirm.org.
(870) 793-2121
educator@oirm.org
380 S. 9th Street, Batesville, AR 72501
Spots are limited, so be sure to sign up soon!
Archaeology Day
Dig into the Past at Archaeology Day at OIRM!
Join Dr. Jason Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Lyon College, on Saturday, March 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Dr. Kennedy will lead hands-on activities and demonstrations highlighting his archaeological excavations in downtown Batesville and the surrounding area.
Homeschool Day
Come explore Arkansas history, agriculture, and food festivals with us this Friday!
Join us for Homeschool Day this Friday, February 20, at the Old Independence Regional Museum from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Students will have lots of fun with hands-on crafts, activities, and learning your students will love. Kids can make animals using an assortment of dried beans, rice, and corn!
Our educational programming is designed for reading-age students to enhance child participation and learning.
Closed for the Holidays
The OIRM will be closed starting Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We at the museum wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Christmas Family Day
Celebrate the holiday season with us at our annual Christmas Family Day—a festive event for the whole family!
Enjoy live music from the Batesville Brass Quintet, explore the charm of the season with the Antique Tractor Club and their decked-out, holiday-themed tractors, and dive into a variety of crafts and hands-on activities for all ages.
Step back in time with old-fashioned holiday traditions, including a nostalgic taffy pull and other classic winter pastimes. It’s a perfect way to create lasting memories while experiencing the warmth and wonder of Christmases past.
Admission is free and festive attire encouraged!
Come celebrate the spirit of the season with us!
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
Closed for Thanksgiving
The Old Independence Regional Museum will be closed from Wednesday through Friday during Thanksgiving week. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
Down Home Southern Cooking
Join us at Old Independence Regional Museum the third Saturday of every month for food, recipes, and camaraderie with the Down Home Southern Cooking club. These events are free and open to the public.
Homeschool Class
Join us as we talk about the 2000s in our “Decades of Progress” program. Cost is $15 per child. Snacks included. Ages 5 - 18 are invited. Parents can stay or drop off children.
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
Down Home Southern Cooking
Join us at Old Independence Regional Museum the third Saturday of every month for food, recipes, and camaraderie with the Down Home Southern Cooking club. These events are free and open to the public.
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
You are the Museum Curator
Is your dream to work in a museum? Join us for a two day class on how to dream, design, and showcase a museum-quality exhibit!
Ages 10 and up. $60 per student. Lunch and snacks provided.
Down Home Southern Cooking
Join us at Old Independence Regional Museum the third Saturday of every month for food, recipes, and camaraderie with the Down Home Southern Cooking club. These events are free and open to the public.
Cooking from Scratch Class
Your children will learn kitchen basics all the way up to creating the perfect family meal. We are following “The Garden Chef” from the Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom. Activities and imaginative ideas abound as we play games, garden, and bring amazing recipes to life!
July 8 - 10, 10:00 - 4:00
Ages 5 - 18
$120 per student; all food and materials provided
Down Home Southern Cooking
Join us at Old Independence Regional Museum the third Saturday of every month for food, recipes, and camaraderie with the Down Home Southern Cooking club. These events are free and open to the public.
Quilting with Ruth
Join Ruth Kent-Cook to sharpen your sewing needle skills and learn new ways to quilt!
Day Camp
Join Old Independence Regional Museum to learn about Food Through the Ages, complete with plenty to eat, engaging activities, intriguing experiments, and loads of fun with your friends! Camp begins Tuesday, June 3 and concludes Friday, June 6. Times are 10:00 - 4:00 each day. Cost is $135 per camper. Membership has its privileges - members pay $121.50! Ages 5 - 18 are invited.
Homeschool class
Join us as we talk about the 1980s in our “Decades of Progress” program. Cost is $15 per child. Snacks included. Ages 5 - 18 are invited. Parents can stay or drop off children.
Operation Snowcap roundtable discussion
Join us as members of the original team who worked with Rick Finley in the DEA as they discuss many aspects of Operation Snowcap.
Down Home Southern Cooking
Join us at Old Independence Regional Museum the third Saturday of every month for food, recipes, and camaraderie with the Down Home Southern Cooking club. These events are free and open to the public.