Photo Library
We love hosting events at OIRM!
Take a peek at some of our past gatherings and don’t forget to flash a smile when you spot the camera next time!
Our Cooking from Scratch class was a huge success!
We welcomed both new and familiar faces as everyone sharpened their cooking skills—literally! Cutting quickly became the favorite activity as we chopped everything from onions and tomatoes to strawberries and bananas.
Together we whipped up tasty treats like salsa, smoothies, and vegetarian chili. Between bites, we played fun games, tried simple science experiments (spoiler: limes sink, onions float!), and made creative crafts.
It was a fun, flavorful, hands-on experience for all!
Celebrating Local Voices: Our Annual Meeting Success
Who knew a meeting could be so much fun?
Dr. Brooks Blevins guided us through seven strategic steps on “how to speak Ozark,” and the room was full of laughter as everyone shared the ways they pronounced words growing up.
Afterward, guests enjoyed delicious snacks and visited with nearly a dozen local authors showcasing and selling their books. It was a wonderful time of stories, conversation, and community.
Thank you to everyone who supported our local authors and our museum, the Old Independence Regional Museum, by attending our annual meeting. We appreciate you so much!
August was a busy—and wonderful—month at OIRM!
Ruth led another fantastic quilting class (no surprise there!).
We kicked off our first fall homeschool session.
Down Home Southern Cooking wowed everyone with delicious tomato recipes and a fun, informative presentation.
Our A Time to Every Purpose grand opening was a truly beautiful event.
The Fulbright family shared heartfelt stories about their family and the Miller School bell during our dedication.
Girl Scouts from three states joined us to explore and learn about the great outdoors.
Want to be part of the fun? Come join us!
What happens when you mix students and ingredients?
A very successful cooking class!
From soup (creating a roux and transforming it into delicious cream of chicken soup) to nuts (candied pecans) we cooked our way through meals and snacks. It was mouth-wateringly amazing!
We had such a fun visit with Camp Pioneer this week!
Could you hear the wind blowing? We had a room full of EF5 tornadoes!
Typing on a manual keyboard: once a drudgery, now super enticing!
Guitar heroes? Yes, Ma’am!
Ms. Raye’s great-granddaughters posing under her picture.
Our 2024 Day Camp at Old Independence Regional Museum was a smashing success! With an emphasis on food in conjunction with our Smithsonian/OIRM “A Taste of Community” exhibit, we had crafts, events, guests, and experiments focused on food - from pollination to production.
2024 Day Camp
Tuesday began with cornhusk dolls. We moved to a tour of the food exhibit, then found out just how thoroughly we wash our hands before diving into a picnic lunch outside followed by rousing games of corn hole, potato sack races, and egg relays. Our speaker told us about Polish heritage before delighting us with a main course and dessert. We ended the day learning how to run a restaurant - counting change, creating a menu, setting a table, and learning manners.
Thursday’s craft involved creating the perfect pizza because lunch was - you guessed it! - homemade pizza! Yoga7Pilates was back after lunch to enthusiastic accolades, and we enjoyed learning about Hispanic heritage as we feasted on homemade tamales. To end the day, we used square looms to create pot holders - always a camp favorite.
Wednesday’s craft was followed by a taffy pull! Yoga7Pilates helped us digest our lunch before we dressed to the nines for our tea party. In the midst of the tea party we were ushered outside to witness a C-130 piloted by the uncle of some of our campers. An informative talk about native bees led to our discovery of the great variety of pollinators in our growing gardens around the museum. Everyone was delighted to catch and release bees, millipedes, flies, and other pollinators.
Friday’s craft included edible glue, which we used to adhere cereal in a pineapple pattern. We decorated cookies with as many different types of sprinkles possible, then feasted on hot dog varieties from across the United States.When you camp is sponsored by FutureFuel, science experiments are essential, and the staff at FutureFuel did not disappoint. With four “wow” experiments, we ended camp with as much excitement as when we began. Thank you, campers for letting us play this week!
We had a great visit and tour with the Big Dogs and Sassy Lassies!
Our favorite part was a story told about a house where one of the members lived growing up. She said from the time of the Civil War, soldiers would enscribe their names and dates of service on the walls of this home. Any conflict might have been represented on the home’s walls, and many people stopped by to see the name of one of their ancestors. The house fell into disrepair in the decades following her family’s departure until the entire home went up in flames, engulfing all the memories. When she walked into our records area, she found a Woodruff County Historical Society report WITH THE HOME ON THE COVER in a manner of minutes! It was quite compelling!
Come see what you can find at Old Independence Regional Museum!
A How-To Class on the Perfect Charcuterie Board
Down Home Southern Cooking showcased their talents at this interactive class where we learned about the joys of pepperoni roses, rivers of cheese, and fruit dip for anything from blueberries to strawberries and all other letters of the alphabet in between. We fanned out oven roasted tomato turkey and frilly endive lettuce and added a trio of berries on tiny sticks to create a salivary masterpiece. Stay tuned for more hands-on food demonstrations at Old Independence Regional Museum!
Rick Finley Day at UACCB
The DEA made a big splash with our local school systems when they presented information on their role in enforcing laws related to drug trafficking.
Students were delighted with the North Little Rock Police Department’s K-9 superstars who performed flawlessly in sniffing out smells they were taught were dangerous (these courageous canines train with scents along with the drugs themselves) and everyone cheered when the dogs were rewarded with a romp with their favorite toy.
Several Drug Enforcement Agents gave upbeat, poignant talks directed at middle schoolers, and the students were rapt as they took in the information. Red DEA Drug-Free bracelets were lofted into the crowd as students clamored to catch these generoous prizes.
Outside, the SWAT team was in full gear, ready to explain their role in law enforcement. It did not hurt that their vehicle was a show-stopper.
OIRM is grateful to the DEA, NLRPD, Arkansas State Highway Patrol, and all other law enforcement personnel who attended this important event. A warm thank you to UACCB for their generous support in donating personnel and their Independence Hall auditorium for our use. Our community will grow stronger because of the effort of all those involved.
Eclipse
The eclipse was absolutely astonishing - nature at its peak. While we did not draw as huge a crowd as anticipated (it seemed to be the trend for our area), the patrons who celebrated the total eclipse with us had a fantastic time.
From punching holes in paper to watch the tiny crescents in paper, to blowing bubbles to see if the color was affected, we were able to experience science throughout the day. Every change in the sun was met with cheers and awestruck amazement. Sighting the planets as the moon’s shadow obscured the sun took our breath away.
Homeschool Class
Our homeschool classes are a blast! Loaded with information, experiments, critical thinking, and, most importantly, snacks, your children will love learning at Old Independence Regional Museum!
