March 11, 1977

Construction began on a 65,000-square-foot museum, now known as the Mid-America Science Museum, in Hot Springs (Garland County). Conceived during the 1960s by Governor Winthrop Rockefeller and promoted by his successor, Governor Dale Bumpers, the facility was authorized by the General Assembly in 1971. The museum’s mission is to “stimulate interest in science, to promote public understanding of the sciences, and to encourage lifelong science education through interactive exhibits and programs.” It has more than 100 permanent exhibits, one of which—“Caged Lightning”—produces 1.5 million volts of electrical energy, and was recognized in 2007 by The Guinness Book of World Records as the most powerful conical Tesla Coil. The museum became an affiliate of the Smithsonian in 2001.