Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources
What to know
South Arkansas is home to the unique story of the 1920s oil boom. Walking the grounds of the state park, you’ll see working oil field equipment used in the area, including a replica of a 112-foot derrick and a central power station that could pull up to 15 wells. Inside the museum, tour a reproduction of a boomtown with an old jail and café. The streets are lined with vintage trucks and gas pumps. Watch a short film in the theater, and view exhibits on the origins of oil and how to drill for it. Admission to the museum is free. Special events include Chautauqua, Tinker Fest, summer programming and a Holiday Lights Extravaganza. The museum is on Ark. 7, two miles south of Smackover.