Free & Cheap Things to Do in Fort Smith

History & Culture

A free National Historic Site preserving the hard edge of frontier justice. Tour Judge Isaac Parker's restored courtroom, the reconstructed gallows, and the grim 'Hell on the Border' basement jail, then walk the grounds where two frontier forts and the Trail of Tears converge on the Arkansas River.

Address: 301 Parker Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: Free admission and parking. The visitor center museum and ranger programs are excellent — allow 90 minutes. Pair it with the adjacent riverfront and the Trail of Tears overlook.

History & Culture

A riverfront museum telling 230 years of U.S. Marshals history through five high-tech galleries, from frontier deputies like Bass Reeves to modern witness protection. Opened in 2023, it's the newest major attraction in town and a natural companion to the historic fort downriver.

Address: 789 Riverfront Dr, Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: Group rate of $10 for 10+. SNAP/EBT/WIC cardholders pay $2.50 for up to four via Museums for All. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Allow about two hours.

History & Culture

Floors of regional history in a handsome early-1900s building, from a working vintage soda fountain to exhibits on the railroad, frontier medicine, and daily life in old Fort Smith. A friendly, old-school local museum that fills the gaps the bigger sites leave out.

Address: 320 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: Open Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm. The vintage soda fountain serves real phosphates and floats. Members and children 5 and under are free.

Arts & Culture

A free regional art museum in a sleek mid-century-modern building downtown, with five galleries of rotating exhibitions, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a permanent collection spanning regional and national artists. Free Saturday drop-in art projects and select late-night openings make it family-friendly.

Address: 1601 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: General admission is always free. RAM Saturdays (noon–3pm) offer free drop-in art making, and guided tours run free on select Sundays. Closed Mondays.

Parks & Nature

A free Arkansas Game & Fish nature center on 170 acres of former Fort Chaffee land, with a 1,700-gallon native-fish aquarium, life-sized habitat exhibits, and more than four miles of trails around Wells Lake. The rear deck over the lake is a quiet spot for wildlife watching.

Address: 8300 Wells Lake Rd, Fort Smith, AR 72916

Tip: Free admission thanks to the Conservation Fund. Wells Lake is stocked for family fishing (catfish and trout). Bring binoculars — 140+ bird species have been spotted on the trails.

History & Culture

A free museum at Chaffee Crossing marking the spot where Elvis Presley got his 'haircut heard 'round the world' — the G.I. buzz cut he received here in 1958. The restored 1950s barbershop sits alongside the largest collection of Fort Chaffee military artifacts, spanning five wars and the base's refugee history.

Address: 7313 Terry St, Fort Smith, AR 72916

Tip: Open Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–4pm; free admission. About 15 minutes east of downtown. The Camp Chaffee Historic District around it is on the National Register and worth a drive-through.

Arts & Culture

A free, ever-growing open-air gallery of monumental murals splashed across downtown buildings, created since 2015 by internationally known street artists. More than 30 large-scale works turn a self-guided walk through the central district into a world-class public-art tour.

Address: Downtown Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: Free and always open. Grab a mural map at the visitor center or use the UnexpectedFS app to find every piece. Best explored on foot over an hour or two.

Family & Kids

A working museum of restored electric streetcars run by a volunteer restoration association. The grounds and car barn are free to explore, and in season you can ride a century-old trolley along a short downtown loop near the National Historic Site for a small fare.

Address: 100 S 4th St, Fort Smith, AR 72901

Tip: The trolley runs roughly May–October (weekends in winter); the grounds are free year-round. The fare isn't posted online — call ahead to confirm rides are running before you go.