National Border Patrol Museum - El Paso, TX - Exhibits and Artifacts of the US Border Patrol

Located at 4315 Trans Mountain Road in El Paso, Texas, the National Border Patrol Museum is just west of Highway 54. At the National Border Patrol Museum, visitors can learn about the history of the US Border Patrol. The history of the US Border Patrol begins in the Old West and moves through Prohibition into World War II before becoming the high-tech Border Patrol of the current day.

The museum exhibits include guns, airplanes, photographs, equipment, uniforms, boats, and documents that depict sector operations historically as well as depicting sector operations of the current era. The National Border Patrol Museum is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday.

With advance notice, the museum offers guided tours during regular hours Tuesday through Friday. There is no fee for admission, but donations are welcome since the museum is a non-profit private museum that does not receive any government funding. The museum was started with private and corporate donations and continues to rely on donations to support itself. In addition to monetary support, the museum utilizes volunteers for much of the work that needs to be completed around the museum.

The National Border Patrol Museum contains several exhibits and artifacts. Some of the general exhibits include things like a Border Patrol Educational Robot, a San Diego Sector Map, and a US Immigration Service Pennant. The vehicles displayed throughout the museum include a Border Patrol ATV, a Border Patrol Sled, smuggler motorcycles, a homemade smuggler boat, a smuggler raft, an observation helicopter, and six others.

The uniform portion of the museum includes fifteen items. The items displayed include a 50th Anniversary Patch, a Border Patrol Pilot Uniform, a long sleeve shirt with a badge on the pocket, a Pilot Uniform Gun Belt, a River Belt, an Ike Jacket with a 50th Anniversary Patch, a long dress coat from the 1940s, and an array of hats.

There are six weapon displays on exhibit at the museum. They include a Tom Gaines 357 Magnum, a Colt Inspectors Special, a 45 caliber Patrol Inspector Pistol, a Colt Official Police 38 Special, a case of long arms, and Border Patrol Pistols. In addition, the National Border Patrol Museum is home to 58 historical photographs that depict moments of the Border Patrol's history. There are also five displays of art that relate to the Border Patrol.

The National Border Patrol Museum is also home to agent memorials and seeks to honor the men and women that have lost their lives while serving in the US Border Patrol. In addition, the museum houses oral histories from roughly 18 different sources.

There is also a gift shop, and visitors are able to purchase souvenirs of their museum visit. The gift shop exists to help support the museum. The museum sometimes hosts events, such as FORBPO Luncheons and Baden Powell Society Meetings.

The museum has 16 trustees, and the curator, Brenda Tisdale, is the widow of Gerald Tisdale. Gerald Tisdale was a former Assistant Chief Patrol Agent. Additional information regarding the National Border Patrol Museum can be obtained by contacting the museum directly at 915-759-6060.