U.S. Marshals Museum announces nationwide fundraising campaign

The U.S. Marshals Museum on Thursday (March 12) announced a national fundraising campaign with a goal of at least $24 million. The core of the campaign is a dollar-for-dollar $12 million matching grant.

The matching grant donor has chosen to remain anonymous, according to the museum.

According to a museum statement, the “A New Frontier of Giving” campaign will help the museum improve access, civic education, and better manage the history of the nation’s first federal law enforcement agency.

The 53,000-square-foot museum is located near the Arkansas River in downtown Fort Smith. The museum opened on July 1, 2023, 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.

The museum is a nonprofit that does not receive operating funds from the city, state or federal government.

The museum hosted an estimated 85,000 visitors in 2024 — its first full year of operation — from all 50 states. They also counted visitors from every U.S. territory and from at least a dozen foreign countries. The number of visitors increased by about 20,000 from the previous year.

“This campaign represents the next chapter in the life of the U.S. Marshals Museum,” Benjamin Johnson, museum president and CEO, said in a statement. “With the support of donors from across the nation, we can ensure that the stories of justice, service, and courage embodied by the U.S. Marshals Service continue to inspire future generations.”

Support for the campaign is growing steadily, with nearly $3 million in commitments in just the past few months. One of the commitments was from Fort Smith-based ArcBest, which on Feb. 24 announced a donation of $500,000. The donation is in honor of ArcBest Chair Judy McReynolds, who recently stepped down as company CEO after 28 years with the logistics and shipping company.

“In addition to serving ArcBest for over 28 years, Judy McReynolds and her husband, Lance, are pillars in our local community,” Seth Runser, ArcBest president and CEO, said in a statement. “We’re proud to honor her remarkable career by making this investment in the U.S. Marshals Museum.”