Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

What sets this National Historic Site apart is its living history: it is not a preserved museum frozen in time, but an active, operating public high school. It was here in 1957 that the Little Rock Nine—nine courageous Black students—challenged segregation by enrolling in the all-white school, prompting a national crisis that required President Eisenhower to send the 101st Airborne Division as escorts. Today, visitors can admire the building's imposing Gothic Revival architecture and explore the visitor center across the street, which features deeply moving exhibits on the civil rights movement and the desegregation crisis. While you can view the monumental campus on your own, booking a ranger-led street walk in advance offers the best context on how this active school became a crucial battleground for American democracy.