Bootheel
Margaret Harwell Art Museum puts art inside a historic Poplar Bluff house
The Margaret Harwell Art Museum ties Poplar Bluff's civic arts story to the historic Moore-Dalton House.
Margaret Harwell was an amateur artist, businesswoman, and civic leader in Poplar Bluff. She left part of her estate to the city so it could create a place for art classes and exhibits.
The city bought the Moore-Dalton House for that purpose in 1980. The house was already part of Poplar Bluff’s story and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Margaret Harwell Art Museum opened there in November 1981.
That gave one address two kinds of local history. The old house remained in public use, while Harwell’s gift brought art into the rooms. Today, the museum’s name still connects the building to the woman whose estate made the art center possible.
Where to see it
- Margaret Harwell Art Museum
Use the city or museum page for current visit details.
References
More from Butler County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: July 16, 2026.