Crystal Bridges Launches National Summer Teacher Professional Development Conference

The inaugural ‘Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy’ conference takes place at the museum July 21-23

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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art invites teachers across America to participate in a new three-day national professional development conference aimed at arts integration this summer. Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy equips Literacy and Social Studies teachers with an approach to teaching that harnesses the power of visual art. Set against the backdrop of the world-class collection at Crystal Bridges, educators will be joined by arts integration experts, Focus 5, Inc.

The conference, happening July 21 – 23, 2025, will inspire teachers to make their classrooms a place where critical thinking, connection, and creativity thrive as students “read” art just as they read books. Visual literacy unlocks this world, transforming how educators teach and how students learn. Through Reading Beyond Words, educators will develop deeper understandings, prompt curriculum-centered conversations, inspire inquiry, transcend language barriers, engage multiple learning styles, and foster an inclusive environment where every student can succeed.

Reading Beyond Words is geared toward K-12 English Language Arts teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, history teachers, and art teachers. Conference tickets are $250 ($200 for Crystal Bridges members). The ticket includes breakfast and lunch for all days of the conference and teaching resources for the classroom. Educators can reserve their spot online or by calling Guest Experience at 479-657-2335. For more information, visit Crystal Bridges’ website.

WHAT: Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy, a three-day national professional development conference focused on arts integration.

WHEN: Monday, July 21, through Wednesday, July 23

WHERE: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712

WHO: Focus 5, Inc. national arts integration specialists, K-12 English Language Arts teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, history teachers, and art teachers.

WHY: Develop tools to facilitate meaningful discussions about art and learn strategies for helping students “read” and interpret art.

HOW: Conference tickets are $250 ($200 for Crystal Bridges members). The ticket includes breakfast and lunch for all days of the conference and teaching resources for the classroom. Educators can reserve their spot online or by calling Guest Experience at 479-657-2335. For more information, visit Crystal Bridges’ website.

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About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

The mission of

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed more than 14 million visitors across its spaces, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a non-profit charitable organization by arts patron and philanthropist,

Alice Walton

. The

collection spans five centuries of American masterworks

from early American to current day and is enhanced by

temporary exhibitions

. The museum is nestled on 134 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by the world-renowned

Safdie Architects

. A rare

Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house

was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Home of the prestigious

Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art

and

Tyson Scholars of American Art Program

, Crystal Bridges offers

public programs

including lectures, performances, classes, and teacher development opportunities. Some 478,375 school children have participated in the

Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program

, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools. Additional museum amenities include a

restaurant

,

gift store

,

library

, and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened

the Momentary

in Downtown Bentonville (507 SE E Street), conceived as a platform for the art, food, and music of our time. In 2026, Crystal Bridges will complete a 114,000 square foot expansion that will allow the museum to expand access for all. For more information, visit

CrystalBridges.org

. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712.

Media Contact

media@crystalbridges.org