FORT SMITH, Ark. – A long-planned museum opening in Fort Smith celebrating the United States Marshals Service is set for July 1.

The service selected Fort Smith for the museum location in 2007. Construction began after fund-raising, with the museum breaking ground in 2017.

The 53,000-square-foot building on the banks of the Arkansas River was completed in 2020. The building is shaped like the five-pointed marshal’s badge worn by officers.

Inside the museum are five galleries offering an overview of the service’s history.

Museum board chairman Doug Babb is excited for the opening.

“It’s truly gratifying to see the work of so many different people who have dedicated their time and resources to this effort come to fruition,” Babb said. “This will be a jewel for Fort Smith, the state of Arkansas and the country.”

The Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency, founded in 1789.

For more information see USMMuseum.org.