All About The Benjamins, Fort Worth style
Fort Worth is home to a lot of great attractions. The Stockyards, for one, are a legendary piece of Cowtown. Fort Worth has an award-winning zoo, an excellent science and history museum, a lively art scene and more. It is also one of only two places in the United States where paper money is printed. And viewing the process, which surprisingly hasn’t changed much since the 1800s, is free and open to the public! Located on Blue Mound Road in north Fort Worth, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Fort Worth prints more than half of the paper currency in the United States. Millions of dollars are printed daily in the US, and visitors to the Fort Worth visitors center can see stacks and stacks of money as they roll off the press. It’s fascinating!
How long has the Fort Worth facility been printing money?
The Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth opened in 1991. Before that, all U.S. currency was printed in Washington D.C. (U.S. coins are produced in Denver at the Denver Mint) The Bureau of Engraving and Printing began scouting a secondary location in 1985, and Fort Worth beat out 83 other cities hoping to make the Bureau of Engraving and Printing call it home.
What is the facility tour like? Is it free?
Visitors can tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tuesday through Friday. Tour hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with the last tour starting at 2:30 pm. Tours are self-guided, although large groups can plan their own experience with the help of a tour coordinator at the center. The center is closed on all federal holidays.
Tours are free for all and involve a lot of walking. Guests go at their own pace, with most guests needing about an hour to complete the tour. There are also two floors of interactive displays that guests can enjoy before or after their tours, as well as a small gift shop.
No phones or recording devices are allowed inside the facility. You will go through security before you are allowed inside the facility.
Self-guided tour headsets are available in both Spanish and English. There is also written tour information in several other languages, and these printed documents can be picked up at the customer service desk.
When is the best time to take the tour?
The best time to take the tour is whenever is convenient for you! You don’t need a reservation, you can simply show up between the allotted hours and enjoy the tour. However, if you are looking for special programming, you may want to visit during Spring Break in mid-March or again in late July, when special employee craftsmanship demonstrations will take place during the day. These activities are fun and engaging for all ages.
Enjoy!
Fort Worth lodging
Visiting Fort Worth? Book a stay at West Bay Marina and RV Park on Eagle Mountain Lake. Located not far from the city center, West Bay RV offers a serene setting for visitors who want to enjoy Cowtown for a while. Fun any time of the year, West Bay RV is a spot you’ll want to stay at again and again. Happy travels!