Thinkwell Group, the global experience design and production firm, is celebrating the upcoming opening of The U.S. Marshals Museum (USMM) on 1 July 2023.
The new national museum is the result of a 16-year project which began in 2007 when the site in Fort Smith, Arkansas was selected. In the following years, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) created a world-class museum by working in collaboration with a wide range of volunteers, staff, elected officials, and members of the community from across Arkansas and the country.
Thinkwell’s global teams and studios have supported this project across design, media, and technology integration – for both the exhibits and guest experience throughout the museum.
Ambitious architecture
In early 2020 work was completed on the building on the bank of the Arkansas River, which totals 53,000 square feet.
A distinctive star-shaped design representing the U.S. Marshals star badge is on the museum exterior.
Doug Babb, chair of the USMM Board, says: “To say we’re excited would be a vast understatement. 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. This will be a jewel for Fort Smith, the state of Arkansas and the country.”
Five themed galleries
Thinkwell has been leading the design and installation of the museum’s exhibits, media, and interactive experiences, with an active team on site working to install and deliver the project alongside global partners and teams.
Within the building, there are five galleries with immersive exhibits which explore the U.S. Marshals’ vital work in upholding the rule of law, driven by justice, integrity and service.
Themes include: To Be A Marshal, The Campfire – Stories Under The Stars, Frontier Marshals, A Changing Nation and Modern Marshals.
The Museum’s National Learning Center will provide local and national visitors with an additional educational offer exploring the Constitution, the Rule of Law and civic literacy.
Visitors will also be able to visit the Samuel M. Sicard Hall of Honor and pay their respects to the Marshals killed in the line of duty, with more than 350 lives lost since 1789.
Benjamin Johnson, USMM president and CEO, says: “I’m so excited to have the chance to lead this amazing group of people who have worked so diligently to reach this point. The Museum will inspire Americans across the country—both now and for future generations—to live with the core values of the US Marshals Service; justice, integrity, and service. Now it’s time to welcome the world through our doors.”
Thinkwell Group recently concluded the temporary nighttime experience WildWoods: AGLOW at Fernbank Museum. This project used innovative immersive design and technology to transform a 10-acre natural habitat behind the museum into an artistic experience with illuminating, interacting flora and wildlife.
