The National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso, TX is one of a kind in the country and is a must visit!
It all started on October 25, 1978, thirty-four Border Patrol Inspectors met in Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the meeting of that visionary group was to establish an organization which they named the “Fraternal Order of Retired Border Patrol Officers” (FORBPO). In addition to the establishment of FORBPO, these officers envisioned a National Border Patrol Museum.
The institution that they envisioned would be charged with the collection, preservation, and display of Border Patrol artifacts and history. Thus, the creation of a National Border Patrol Museum, and the collection of artifacts began. A year later, on August 4, 1980, the Secretary of State for the State of Texas issued a Certificate of Incorporation Number 527890-1. This certificate identified the Museum as a tax-exempt entity under Section 501 C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
On October 1, 1985, the National Border Patrol Museum opened its doors in the basement of the old Cortez building in downtown El Paso, Texas. The museum operated out of this humble facility until 1992 when it was closed due to a dispute with the landlord. Following the closure, the Museum property was stored until the new Museum was built in 1994.
Today, The Border Patrol Museum offers several exhibits pertaining to Border Patrol Operations. The Sign Cutting exhibit features a diorama explaining how sign cutting operations and tracking work to detect illegal entries into the United States. Additionally, the exhibit displays methods used by individuals to disguise their tracks in an effort to elude detection, and offers definitions to explain terminology used in tracking operations. Tracking has been an essential tool and skill learned and used by Agents since the inception of the Border Patrol.
Also, complementing the museum’s rich Border Patrol collection, is the Memorial Library, which offers a range of materials on Border Patrol history from its inception in 1924 to the present. The library/archives provide support to researchers at all levels interested in furthering their understanding of the nation’s first line of defense: the Border Patrol.
As the museum has evolved over the last 40 plus years it has become the proud repository for memorabilia and memories of more than 80 years of Border Patrol history. We encourage you to visit us when in El Paso or Texas and view this very important museum and the history of our country’s first line of defense! https://borderpatrolmuseum.com/ Located: 4315 Woodrow Bean Transmountain Dr, El Paso, TX. Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 AM – 5 PM (915) 759-6060
