The 15 Best Things to Do in Little Rock - 2024 (with Photos) - Tripadvisor
Things to Do in Little Rock

Things to Do in Little Rock, AR - Little Rock Attractions

Things to Do in Little Rock


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Top Attractions in Little Rock

These rankings are informed by traveler reviews—we consider the quality, quantity, recency, consistency of reviews, and the number of page views over time.
Speciality Museums
Dedicated purse museums in the world are rare jewels of history: Amsterdam, Seoul and Little Rock claim the distinction of being home to the three brick-and-mortar galleries in existence. ESSE Purse Museum at 1510 Main in the SoMa district of Little Rock opened its doors in late June 2013 to share what's inside the fabulous exhibit featuring over 500 artifacts. More than a fashion history, the museum showcases a compelling narrative of the 20th-century American woman - decade by decade - through the bags she carried and the contents within. The delightful displays of purses are complemented by carefully selected items women from each era carried - true history held in a handbag. Small photos in the displays and enormous backlit photos on the north wall show real women with their personal bags. Three cozy dioramas - "Nothing's More Natural Than Skin," "By Land, Sea or Air" and "A Night on the Town" - feature specialty purses, and a large, whimsical art installation addresses the essence of a woman, her handbag and the contents within. ESSE, which grew out of a traveling exhibit selected from owner Anita Davis' extensive collection of bags, is a privately-owned museum housed in a historic building in an up-and-coming, hip neighborhood, close to other world famous attractions like Central High School (the only school that is a national park) and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. More than just a trip down memory lane or history lesson, ESSE Purse Museum is a don't-miss experience. Museum hours are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10, $8 for students (6-18), seniors (60 and up) and military. Children 5 and younger are free. Call for group rates and special tours.
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What travelers are saying

  • Daniel P
    Memphis, TN19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visited the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in April and found it to be both educational and sobering. The Visitor Center provided valuable insights into the historic events that unfolded here.

    It was affirming to see the progress made since then, yet simultaneously frustrating to realize that issues of race and prejudice persist today. Despite the sobering reminders, it was a triumphant experience to witness the resilience of those who fought for equality.

    As a National Park Passport holder, it was a joy to add mores stamps and stickers to my collection. A must-visit for those interested in history—and not repeating it.
    Written May 13, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Susanne T
    North Carolina Mountains, NC1,751 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We came on a whim, since we were staying in North Little Rock; what a great experience! They offered a guided tour (10am and 1pm) and we joined the morning tour, since we didn't have too much time. Melissa was super fun to listen to, had a lot of knowledge and made it very interesting. There is so much to see...one could spend an entire day, but we only had about four hours. You can sit around a replica of the Cabinet table and see a replica of the Oval Office; we opted to have our pictures taken, sitting at the desk of the Oval Office (for a fee). All volunteers we talked to were very nice and knowledgeable! So much information to process!
    We had lunch at 42 (downstairs and open to the public) and it was great!
    Written May 17, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lisa A
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Even if you can't hike up the mountain, the view from the observation deck is great!
    Beautiful views, very friendly staff at the visitor center with several interactive exhibits.
    Written April 12, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • DannyWasserman
    Virginia Beach, VA4,450 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Check out the riverfront area of Little Rock, you will have lots of trails to traverse along the Arkansas river that actually crosses over some bridges and back around. There is an auditorium for live concerts, places to eat lunch, and bridges to cross.
    Written November 19, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Craig J
    17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I enjoy visiting state capitol buildings and have seen about 40 of them. We were very pleased to visit this one! Cheryl gave us an excellent tour and pointed out the many striking architectural features of the building together with much of its history. In addition, Stephen gave us a tour of the vault area (we had never seen a bank in the heart of a capitol building) and was most cordial. We had not read much about this location before our visit, but certainly are glad we got to see this somewhat hidden treasure!
    Written May 25, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Chasity Cooper
    Oklahoma City, OK15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely adorable! Fun engaging exhibits and activities. Very reasonable priced and I love that they have a program with a local bank to allow less privileged patrons attend for a massively reduced price of $2! We spent HOURS there and really could have spent the whole day there! Lots of hands on too. I do wish they offered some sort of food or even snacks or concessions and drinks. Definitely check it out if you get a chance. I will note it's probably best for ages 2-10 maybe 12 tops. Then again I'm 45 and I enjoyed it soooo. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣
    Written March 26, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • carrie s
    Ardmore, OK59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    it was very interesting i was traveling with my family and seen this and we were all glad we went we had a great time going there
    Written March 6, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • RollTideRollAZ
    Peoria, AZ903 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    You cannot go on the dam itself, but can above it and take pictures and walk across the river on the bridge
    Restrooms available nearby.
    Written March 24, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • slas86
    Glenpool, OK708 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    There are a variety of restaurant choices under one roof. Good variety if you work downtown I'm sure. You can pay to park behind the building and it does have views of the river and it's bridges. We ate at David's Hamburgers and it was great!
    Written May 12, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Denise N
    Sarasota, FL5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I was so excited to go to this purse museum while we were in Little Rock and I was not disappointed.
    Written June 24, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • tbdiaz36fd
    Trumbull, Connecticut12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This attraction is well worth the visit. There are two parts to this attraction, one inside and the other is restored buildings. We took a guided tour of the several of the restored buildings that was about $3.00 for two senior citizens. It was particularly informative and included several restored structures. Our guide, James, was very knowledgeable. We only spent a small amount of time at the gallery exhibits because of our time constraints but the ones that I saw were wonderful and this part of the museum is free. This museum is a gem.
    Written October 24, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AN6pack
    Waco, TX801 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We rented bikes and rode the trails as a family. 17 miles of beautiful trails along the river. So much to see! What a special treat in the heart of the city.
    Written July 5, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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