‘Almost’ 10,000 visit U.S. Marshals Museum in its first month

Visitors came by the thousands to see the U.S. Marshals Museum on the riverfront in Fort Smith during its inaugural month. Hannah Green, marketing coordinator, said the museum saw about 10,000 visitors in the month of July.

The museum opened July 1 after 16 years of fundraising, construction and speculation. In January 2007, the U.S. Marshals Service selected Fort Smith as the site for the national museum. The Robbie Westphal family, led by Bennie Westphal and Robin Westphal Clegg, donated the riverfront land for the museum. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in September 2015. Museum officials initially hoped to have the facility open by late 2017, but struggles to raise money delayed the opening. Construction of the approximately 53,000-square-foot U.S. Marshals Museum was completed — except for exhibits — in early 2020.

According to a 2018 study, the museum could see around 125,000 visitors a year. The Arkansas Economic Development Institute, using information from the study, estimated the museum and related tourist expenditures would have a total annual impact on Sebastian County of $13 million to $22 million. With 10,000 visitors in its first month, the estimates are not too far off the 2018 study.

“We really had no idea what to expect in terms of traffic when we opened,” said Ben Johnson, museum president and CEO, noting that staff doesn’t know how the 2018 study will translate in a post-pandemic world. “We are very happy with the almost 10,000 who showed up (in July). We are beyond excited that 99.9% of the feedback we are getting from those who have gone through the museum is positive.”

The remaining 0.1% is more constructive criticism with suggestions including adding more benches for seating inside the exhibit area.

“There is lots to see in the exhibits. People want to be able to sit down in there,” Johnson said.

According to the museum, the facility’s exterior features a modified star-shaped design signifying the star badge worn by U.S. Marshals. The museum is designed to tell the story of the United States’ oldest federal law enforcement agency, which was established by President George Washington. The interior has five “immersive galleries” that provide information about the role Marshals have played in U.S. history. The galleries are: To Be A Marshal, The Campfire/Stories Under The Stars, Frontier Marshals, A Changing Nation and Modern Marshals.

The interior also includes the Samuel M. Sicard Hall of Honor, which recognizes the sacrifice of more than 370 Marshals killed in the line of duty since 1789.

Since opening, the museum has seen shifts in employment with some of the temporary staff leaving to go back to school and other staff being hired. As of Friday (Aug. 4), there were 28-29 employees, Johnson said. He said the museum will hire more staff to help with programming.

“With the opening of the museum, we’ve had to really shift what our focus is. It’s no longer getting the museum open. Now we need to look at offering more programming and educational opportunities. But we are very excited about this step,” Johnson said.

The museum is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entry fee is $13 for adults, $8 for those ages 6-17, and free to military and law enforcement members. The building also has areas available for rent for special occasions and events.

“Now we are focusing on getting people in, on booking tours and facility rentals. Over the next 18 months it’s going to be about getting school kids in and having fun with educational opportunities,” Johnson said. “And because we’re a non-profit, there is constant fundraising and constant fundraising. … This has been a long-time coming, and now we have to flip from being an idea to being reality.”