Discover History, Art, Science, & More in Fort Smith

When you visit Fort Smith, Arkansas, you’ll find a fascinating museum scene where history, art, science, and culture come to life. 

Some of our visitors' top choices for museums are:

  • The Fort Smith Museum of History, where you can explore the city's fascinating past, showcasing artifacts from our frontier roots, while taking you on a journey through our evolution to present day Fort Smith.

  • The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, a rewarding (and free!) experience for art lovers, highlights contemporary works and thought-provoking exhibits with a sculpture garden, murals, Mid-century modern architecture—and much more. 

  • The United States Marshals Museum celebrates over 200 years of U.S. Marshals service history through interactive exhibits, artifacts, and a Hall of Honor, memorializing fallen Marshals. Shaped like a star, the museum is designed around the five-point star of the Marshals’ badge. 

  • Chaffee Barbershop & Military Museum has a fun claim to fame—it’s where Elvis Presley got his iconic Army haircut, the “G.I. buzz cut,” in 1958. Located in the Chaffee Crossing Historic District, this museum will take you back to mid-century Fort Smith, with vintage barbershop tools and military memorabilia.

  • The Clayton House offers a glimpse into Victorian-era Arkansas. This preserved 1882 home was once owned by a prominent judge; Isaac C. Parker, also known as “The Hanging Judge,” because of his record number of murder convictions. Period furnishings and guided tours are a favorite with history buffs and visitors, taking you back to 19th- century life. Some say this house is haunted. Once you visit, you can decide for yourself!

  • Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum is known as one of Fort Smith’s most unique attractions and it’s easy to guess why. Take a guided tour, where you’ll be transported back to the late 1800s with preserved artifacts, exhibits, and photographs from this premier Victorian brothel managed by Laura Zeigler. Hear the stories and experiences of women who lived and worked in this bustling Old West establishment.