FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Fort Kids Children's Museum announced that they received a 5.6-acre land donation from the Westphal Family on the Fort Smith Riverfront to build its future children's museum.
The Fort Kids board of directors says it had been looking for a site to build the museum in Fort Smith for a year. Board President Sarah Strom said the location was a “big dream” of the board. The land donation is located next to the US Marshal's Museum.
“We had no idea this dream would become a reality one year later. It is a dream come true,” Strom said.
The board says it plans to start a campaign to encourage the community to collaborate by “donating their time, money, and talents.” Strom said the campaign will look to bring more “community leaders” like the Westphals to the project. They hope this will involve the community in designing the museum and creating the exhibits
“My hope is that this gift will inspire others in our community to give to Fort Kids Children’s Museum. It is a worthy and much-needed component of a thriving Fort Smith,” added Bennie Westphal.
Additionally, Fort Kids said it is partnering with the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education's Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs.
“We have partnered with ACHE, hosted focus groups within our community to gain valuable feedback, visited 19 elementary schools to find out what children want in their museum, and we plan to keep going. There is so much more to come,” noted Strom.
The vision for the museum is to create a safe and inviting space to nurture learning through play. Exhibits will be hands-on and will promote exploration and education to achieve the museum's goal.
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