Marshals Museum board reviews design possibilities

Early peeks into the thinking behind the ongoing design of the U.S. Marshals Museum and lively discussions of how to classify an exhibit space within the museum were part of an active Tuesday (Mar. 10) meeting of the museum board of directors.

Peter Kuttner with Cambridge 7 Associates, one of the two architectural firms hired to design the museum, delivered a two-hour presentation to the board on the guiding principles, goals, design criteria, site analysis, exhibit experience, building program and plan options.

The bottom line of the very early projections is for a 50,260-square-foot museum, with 19,200 square feet used for exhibit space and the remainder for office, classroom, theater, retail, public areas (bathrooms, lobby), storage and mechanical space.

A price tag to for the entire project, including the building, exhibits, landscaping, furniture and fixtures and other essentials, could be as high as $50 million, Kuttner said. Previous estimates had the cost ranging between $30 million and $40 million.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The guiding principles are to enlighten the public about the U.S. Marshals, build a museum so that it is a resource for the community, create a museum with a unique institutional identity and to focus on the visitor.

“Obviously, our focus is on the visitor,” Kuttner said, adding that the visitor must be comfortable within and not confused by the museum space.

Kuttner said the “trick” is to build a museum that meets all four guiding principles yet is able to operate “as a business,” and be flexible enough to serve many elements of the community.

DIVIDED CLASSIFICATION
Initial plans call for the museum to be categorized into three separate exhibit spaces: “Frontier Marshals” featuring the beginning and early history; “Marshals Today,” which highlights aspects of the modern U.S. Marshals Service; and “America Divided,” which seeks to highlight the role of Marshals during difficult times in U.S. history.

But several museum board members balked at the “America Divided” moniker, noting that it reflected a negative image.

“It seems that we have them (museum visitors) leaving on a bit of a downer,” said board member Pat Lile.

Bob Davidson, board member and president and CEO of Fort Smith-based Arkansas Best Corp., agreed with Lile, and suggested “Justice Delivered.” Another board member suggested “America Challenged.”

Prominent local attorney and museum board member Brad Jesson said many Americans think of the Civil War when they hear the term “America Divided.” He suggested the potential historic confusion as the need for a new title be given the periods of conflict — Whiskey Rebellion, slave trade, civil rights marches, etc. — in which the U.S. Marshals played important roles.

Kuttner acknowledged problems with the vernacular, but encouraged the board to consider a title that critically addressed those periods with whitewashing or “propagandizing” them.

PARK CONCEPTS
The board members seemed to support without question the idea of placing the museum in a “park-like setting.” Bennie Westphal, whose family donated the 3.5 acres for the museum site, suggested that the property donation “could be greater if need be” to accomplish the park concept.

Kuttner expanded the park idea, by suggesting the museum could use nearby properties like the Miss Laura’s Visitor’s Center, the Frisco Station, the U.S. National Historic Site and the Riverpark in Harry E. Kelley Park to create a larger park concept.

“You can create the idea of a historic campus” to draw tourists, Kuttner explained.

This campus also becomes a “development catalyst,” Kuttner noted, with property within one-quarter to one-half mile developing quickly after the museum opens.

PLAN OPTIONS
Kuttner presented four broad options under initial consideration that are guiding museum design. The primary differences in the options presented were found in different routes of museum access, having exhibit spaces contiguous or separate, the placement of exhibit spaces and classrooms in relation to a city view or a river view and in the placement of a Hall of Honor for the U.S. Marshals Service. (See photos below for diagrams of the four options.)

The pros and cons of each option were reviewed, with Kuttner noting that elements of the different options could be mixed and mingled with other options.

All the options and the final design will have a “tall, iconic element” that creates a branding image and can be seen from a distance, Kuttner explained.

Comments from the board and from the public on building and exhibit design will be incorporated into the process that will begin to focus on a working model for the museum.

Option 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 4