The Western Currency Facility in North Fort Worth is one of only two federal printing facilities in the United States that manufacture circulating paper currency. Situated at 9100 Blue Mound Road, this massive secure complex produces more than half of the nation's paper notes, offering visitors an elevated look at active high-speed printing presses.
Key takeaways
- Free Admission: Self-guided tours and on-site parking are completely free for all guests.
- Public Hours: Open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with the final tour entry at 2:30 PM.
- Security Protocols: Strict airport-style screening; all bags, backpacks, cameras, and cell phones must stay in your car trunk.
- Production Views: Walk a 1,000-foot enclosed bridge suspended directly above live intaglio printing lines and automated inspection equipment.
- Currency Identification: Look for a tiny “FW” mark next to the face plate number on bills to verify Fort Worth production.
Tour Hours, Admission, and Location Details
Operating details for the facility are set by federal guidelines. According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing visitor center portal, the public tour gallery opens Tuesday through Friday, excluding federal holidays and periodic maintenance periods. Families exploring regional animal attractions can compare schedules with our SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium guide before mapping their North Texas driving routes.
| Detail | Policy / Specification | Visitor Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Address | 9100 Blue Mound Road, Fort Worth, TX 76131 | Located in North Fort Worth off Interstate 35W and US 81/287 |
| Public Operating Days | Tuesday through Friday (Closed Mon, Sat, Sun) | Also closed on all official federal holidays |
| Tour Hours | 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Last admission 2:30 PM) | Arrive before 2:00 PM to clear screening comfortably |
| Admission Cost | 100% Free Public Admission | No tickets required for groups under 10 guests |
| Parking | Free on-site surface parking lot | Designated bus bays and accessible parking spots provided |
Best Time of Day to Arrive
Wait times fluctuate based on school field trip calendars and summer travel volume. Arriving when doors open at 8:30 AM on Tuesday or Wednesday yields the shortest screening lines. Morning visits also align with peak printing press operations, giving visitors the most dynamic views of active machinery.
Midday between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM often sees increased foot traffic from local community groups. Remember that the tour entrance closes strictly at 2:30 PM, even though the visitor center remains open until 3:30 PM.
Policies for Groups of 10 or More
While individuals and small family units can walk into the facility without notice, groups consisting of 10 or more participants must coordinate their visit in advance. Group coordinators should contact the tour scheduling office by phone at (817) 231-4000 at least two weeks before their target date.
Tour sizes are restricted to 40 guests per time slot, with a maximum of 80 participants split into two staggered groups. This schedule keeps security checkpoints manageable and ensures that every guest has clear sightlines from the overhead walkway.
Security Screening Rules and What to Leave in Your Car
As an active federal currency plant, the Western Currency Facility enforces security standards similar to airport security gates. Visitors should treat the screening process with careful planning. Leaving prohibited items in your vehicle avoids the frustration of being turned away at the threshold.
Travelers who prefer outdoor excursions without metal detectors can contrast this security protocol with the self-guided grounds at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden guide across town. Advance preparation makes federal entry smooth and predictable.
Electronics and Photography Restrictions
Federal law strictly prohibits cameras, video recorders, and electronic devices inside secure production corridors. This restriction includes smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and recording accessories. Security officers do not make exceptions for personal or educational filming.
Smartphones and photography are permitted only in the outdoor arrival plaza before crossing the checkpoint. Once you step into the screening building, all recording equipment must be absent or stowed away according to ranger directions.
What to Expect at the Security Checkpoint
Every guest passes through a full-body walk-through magnetometer, while all carried items undergo X-ray inspection. You will be asked to empty pockets of keys, coins, and bulky metal hardware into inspection trays.
The facility provides no lockers or baggage storage holding areas. Backpacks, oversized diaper bags, luggage, and large handbags are barred from entry. Visitors carrying unauthorized bags will be instructed to return them to their vehicles before entering the building.
Inside the Money Factory: The Production Floor Tour
After completing security screening, guests proceed into the main tour concourse. The experience kicks off in a high-definition theater showcasing an orientation film detailing how the Treasury Department produces paper currency and protects financial stability.
Culture enthusiasts who enjoy pairing industrial tours with world-class fine art can also explore our companion Kimbell Art Museum guide in the Fort Worth Cultural District. Both venues offer exceptional educational depth with zero general admission fees.
Walking the 1,000-Foot Suspended Overlook
The core attraction of the tour is a 1,000-foot glass-enclosed walkway suspended directly above the live manufacturing plant. From this vantage point, guests look down on massive high-speed intaglio printing presses turning rolls of specialized cotton-linen paper into crisp uncut currency sheets.
Audio stops along the self-paced route explain each stage of the process, including 32-subject sheet feeding, automated optical inspection, serial numbering, and mechanical packaging into 4,000-note bricks. Watching millions of dollars move along conveyor lines provides a perspective on manufacturing scale found nowhere else in the American South.
Spotting the FW Mark on Your Paper Bills
Every banknote printed in Fort Worth carries a distinctive signature mark. According to the U.S. Currency Education Program banknote authentication guide, notes produced at the Western Currency Facility feature a small "FW" monogram directly to the left of the face plate number in the lower right corner.
Notes printed at the headquarters in Washington, D.C. display only the plate letter and number without the "FW" indicator. Checking the cash in your wallet for these letters is a popular activity for visitors touring the production floor.
Visitor Center Exhibits and the Moneyfactory Gift Shop
Beyond the elevated production walkway, two floors of interactive exhibits allow guests to explore currency security, monetary history, and print craftsmanship up close.
Interactive Counterfeit Detection Displays
Educational kiosks challenge visitors to identify genuine bills from sophisticated counterfeits. Guests can examine enlarged reproductions of watermarks, color-shifting ink, microprinting, and embedded 3D security ribbons found on modern hundred-dollar notes.
Interactive scale stations like the "How Much Do You Weigh in Gold?" exhibit calculate individual body weight into current commodity values. These tactile displays make economic principles entertaining for school-age children and adults alike.
Buying Uncut Currency Sheets and Shredded Bills
The Moneyfactory Gift Shop offers unique souvenirs unavailable through regular retail channels. Collectors can purchase genuine uncut currency sheets ranging from four-subject cards to full 32-subject framed display sheets.
Another popular memento is a bag of shredded currency. These packages contain genuine U.S. banknotes that failed quality inspection or were retired from commercial circulation, providing an affordable and memorable souvenir from the facility.
History of the Western Currency Facility
For more than a century, all United States paper currency was produced exclusively in Washington, D.C. In the late 1980s, rising demand for paper notes and the need for geographic security led the Department of the Treasury to establish a secondary facility.
According to the Federal Reserve Board currency print orders, central bank demand for replacement notes requires billions of fresh banknotes annually. Dedicated in 1991, the Fort Worth complex fulfilled this strategic requirement by decentralizing production.
Regional historical records from the Texas State Historical Association Fort Worth history outline how the city's robust rail, air, and highway infrastructure made Tarrant County the logical choice for this sensitive federal operation. Today, the facility prints approximately 60% of all circulating American currency.
Pairing Your Tour with Nearby Fort Worth Attractions
Because the self-guided Money Factory tour typically requires 60 to 90 minutes, it fits easily into a broader North Texas day trip. Its location off Blue Mound Road places you within a short drive of major regional landmarks.
Travelers can drive 15 minutes south to explore the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, catching the twice-daily Texas longhorn cattle drive at 11:30 AM or 4:00 PM. Alternatively, head south into downtown to dine among the illuminated fountains and brick walkways of Sundance Square downtown plazas.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fort Worth Money Factory
Is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing tour free?
Yes, public admission to the Western Currency Facility tour and visitor center is completely free. On-site vehicle parking is also provided at no charge for all visitors.
Do you need reservations to visit the Fort Worth Money Factory?
Individuals and families with fewer than 10 people do not need advance reservations and can walk in during operating hours. Groups of 10 or more guests must coordinate with the tour scheduler at least two weeks before their visit.
Can you take photos inside the production tour?
No, photography and video recording are strictly prohibited inside the secure production galleries. All cameras, smartphones, and recording hardware must remain locked in your vehicle before entering the screening checkpoint.
How long does the Fort Worth BEP tour take?
Most visitors spend approximately 45 to 60 minutes self-pacing through the elevated walkway, theater presentation, and museum exhibits. Allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes to complete mandatory security screening during peak morning hours.
How do you identify money printed in Fort Worth?
Notes manufactured in Texas display a tiny 'FW' prefix directly to the left of the face plate number in the lower right quadrant. Travelers touring the best museums in Dallas-Fort Worth can easily spot this hallmark while examining historical currency and cultural artifacts across the metroplex.
