At the world-class Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, one of the most beloved attractions isn’t a painting or sculpture.
It’s a cat.
He’s Hamish, the museum’s whiskered welcome committee of one. Everyone’s favorite four-legged docent has even been drafted into the “Security” detail, thanks to a custom tag an employee created for his tracking-enabled collar.
Nine years ago, I wrote about him for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. As the museum’s expansion opens next month (see story, page 12), I checked back in with Bentonville’s most famous feline — and his owner Cara Upton. Upton and her husband, Michae
l, live near Crystal Bridges and run a Facebook page (Famous Hamish) dedicated to their adventurous pet, allowing museum attendees to share sightings of the cuddly art lover.
As for the latest mews, Upton reports Hamish is still there at Crystal Bridges, living his best nine lives. He’s often holding court near the Frank Lloyd Wright House, lingering by the employee entrance or sneaking into the cozy library for a catnap.
He’s fur-ever on duty, ready for a snuggle or a selfie with strangers. And he was no scaredy-cat during all the recent construction and noise. “None of that has fazed him whatsoever,” Upton shares.
Adopted from the Springdale Animal Services in 2016, Hamish adopted Crystal Bridges as his domain. In fact, Hamish mostly treats the Uptons’ house like a snack stop between shifts, while his other two cat brothers, Nigel and Rainbow Cupcake, and human “sister,” Amelia (age 12), are content to stay closer to home.
“Hamish really just comes home to eat,” Upton says. Then it’s back to work.
For some people, “He’s a destination,” Upton says with a laugh. “People who have never been to the museum before but have heard of Hamish — that’s their reason to go and then discover the art.”
For the Uptons, lifelong Bentonville residents, that kind of impact never gets old, nor do the photos and stories of their cat shared online.
“We are so happy to see everybody happy with our cat,” Upton says.
As much as Hamish is a ham, he can also be a tender cat-alyst for consolation.
Upton shares the story of a woman who encountered Hamish on the trails during a particularly difficult time. “He sat in her lap for hours,” Upton says. “Just his presence made a tangible real-life difference.”
She continues, “He’s just a cat, he’s not like any sort of specially trained animal. He’s just a normal cat who loves people. The amount of joy and comfort he gives people brings me all the warm fuzzies and makes me really proud of him.”
In a place built to celebrate great works of art, Hamish is paws-itively a masterpiece all his own.
Happy tails,
