Mission:
The Ozark Folk Center, dedicated to providing living history, exists to: Preserve, document, display and interpret the cultural and social history of the Ozark region, an area that takes up part of five states: Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Scope: The Park's interests are in the areas of: The cultural and social history of the Ozarks region in pre-modern times. In the area of pioneer crafts, this is generally interpreted as before 1921, and in the area of mountain music before 1941.

Goals: To achieve its missions, the Park will:

Collect, document, and preserve examples of traditional skills of the region. This includes presenting the living history of pioneer crafts, traditional arts, and American folk music, dance and song. It may also include pioneer architecture and building skills such as fencing, riving, etc.

The collection, documentation and preservation of Ozarks folklore and oral history.

To inform visitors through interpretation, exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, tours and concerts about crafts and music of the Ozarks.

To educate through conducting, promoting and publishing original research on folklore, the social and cultural history of the region by its staff and others