The Sultana Disaster Museum opens its new doors in Marion, Arkansas on Saturday, trading a former Washington Street location with less than 1,000 square feet of exhibition space for a 21,000-square-foot former high school building with roughly 9,000 square feet of exhibition space. The grand opening ceremony begins at 10 a.m., with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. and free admission for the day, with the museum staying open until 4 p.m.
According to FOX13 Memphis, the museum has moved from its former spot on Washington Street in Marion into the old Marion High School auditorium and gym. As reported by Arkansas Times, that building is a Workers Project Administration structure that opened in 1939. The address for the new location is 114 Military Road, according to the museum’s own grand opening page.
The new building includes a 14-foot replica of the Sultana and an actual 1835 steamboat engine, per the Arkansas Times report. The museum’s website describes the new location as featuring thoughtfully designed exhibits, historic artifacts, immersive storytelling, and the remarkable history of the Sultana steamboat itself.
A Disaster Mostly Forgotten
The Sultana disaster is often described as largely forgotten; the Arkansas Times calls it the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history. More than 2,000 people were aboard the Sultana as it traveled down the Mississippi River in April 1865, carrying recently released Union prisoners of war, before the boat suffered a boiler explosion. The explosion caused mass casualties. FOX13 Memphis reports more than 1,100 people died in the disaster.
Other outlets put the toll differently. The Arkansas Times reported the explosion on April 27, 1865, killed 1,164 people, while the Encyclopedia of Arkansas describes an estimated loss of up to 1,800 lives. The Library of Congress notes the Sultana was legally allowed to carry only 376 people, far fewer than the number Kollath said were actually aboard.
Arkansas Times reported that an Army officer struck a deal with captain James Cass Mason to take on prisoners in exchange for a kickback. People on both sides of the river helped with rescue efforts, and survivors received medical care in Memphis. John Fogleman expressed hope that the museum would preserve the story.
A Decade-Long Push For a Bigger Home
The former museum opened in 2015, and construction on the renovation began in March 2024. The Commercial Appeal reports the project raised around $11 million to complete, while the Arkansas Times describes a separate $10 million renovation for which construction began in March 2024. The Commercial Appeal notes ground was broken on the broader project in 2022.
The new building’s 9,000 square feet of exhibition space is a substantial expansion from the former location, which had less than 1,000 square feet of exhibit space. The Waterways Journal similarly described the new 21,000-square-foot museum as replacing the former museum.
What To Expect After Opening Day
Once the free opening-day admission ends, normal operating hours will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, per the Commercial Appeal. Adult admission is set at $15, with senior and student tickets at $12, and children five and under admitted free. For a town whose museum once had less than 1,000 square feet of exhibit space, Saturday marks the start of a very different chapter for telling the Sultana’s story.
