FORT SMITH, Ark. — After years of planning, the U.S. Marshals Museum celebrated its grand opening in Fort Smith with a ceremony.
The U.S. Marshals selected Fort Smith to host the National U.S. Marshals Museum back in 2007.
Now, 16 years later, its doors are opening Saturday, July 1.
Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Senator John Boozman, other members of the Arkansas delegation, and the director of the U.S. Marshals Service were among those in attendance at Thursday’s ceremony.
Sanders said Fort Smith was the perfect place for the national museum, “I can't think of a better community to host this museum, a better embodiment of the Marshals’ mission."
Officials say this museum has been a dream in the works for over a decade.
“Today, that dream became a reality," said U.S. Marshals Museum Chairman Doug Babb. “We have an operating museum, it’s world-class, and it's right here in Fort Smith, Arkansas.”
The museum tells the story of men and women who served in the first law enforcement agency in the country.
Museum president and CEO Ben Johnson says although the U.S. Marshal selected Fort Smith to host the museum in 2007, challenges followed.
“Major financial crash, inflation, pandemics, other unforeseen issues that have occurred along the way,” Johnson said.
One of the main issues was the struggle to raise the $50 million needed to construct the museum.
“The staff and the board and the community kept the faith and we just pushed it over the finish line,” Johnson said.
Babb says the museum honors hundreds of years of service and hundreds of lives lost.
“The United States Marshal Service has existed since 1789,” Babb said. “George Washington created them, and they have been protecting people in the United States for over 200 years. Nearly 400 people have died in the line of duty. So they deserve a national museum, out of respect for all they've done for all of us for over 200 years.”
Doors open Saturday morning, and after opening day, the museum will be open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Ticket prices:
- Adult - $13
- Seniors - $11
- Vets - $10
- U.S. Marshals - FREE
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