Since its soft opening on March 4, the Selma Interpretive Center has quickly become a main attraction, as was the goal.

The Interpretive Center should add even more guests to Selma who come to visit the already popular National Voting Rights Museum, Old Depot and Slavery and Civil War Museum just to name a few.

In just a little more than a month, the historical center has seen more than 800 guests, from 21 states and four countries, come through its doors.

“The overall impact still isn’t all the way there yet,” Mayor George Evans said. “They are still doing a little more work on the outer portion of the building. It’s a major part of what we are trying to do with the revitalization of Water Avenue.”

The visitor’s center, which is just part of the $35 million Water Avenue project that will eventually encompass 20,000 square feet, still has more work to be done, but the impact will be there, Evans said.

“The interior of the building will take a lot more time,” Evans said. “But the building adds to our downtown.”

The Interpretive Center is free to attend and a part of the National Public Park Service.

After more than a month, word is spreading around with tour groups and the center is expecting its first tour group next week and have more booked and ready to go.