FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The U.S. Marshals Museum announced Tuesday that the museum will open its doors to the public on July 1, according to a news release.

The opening will come 16 years after a rigorous selection process by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) which chose Fort Smith as the permanent home for the museum.

The 53,000-square-foot building was completed in early 2020 and was built on the banks of the Arkansas River.

The museum’s exterior features a modified star design to signify the badges worn by the U.S. Marshals.

According to the release, there will be five galleries to educate visitors on the U.S. Marshals, including “To Be a Marshal, The Campfire | Stories Under the Stars, Frontier Marshals, A Changing Nation and Modern Marshals”.

More information and updates on the museum can be found on the its website.