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The National Border Patrol Museum is a fascinating look into the operations of the U.S. Border Patrol. It’s located in El Paso, Texas.
History
The National Border Patrol Museum was established in 1979 by a group of retired Border Patrol agents. Its first location was in the Cortez Building in downtown El Paso, opening on October 1, 1985. The museum closed from 1992 to 1994 while it waited for construction on its current location, which opened in April 1994.
Visiting
The National Border Patrol Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Admission is free (as of August 2023). The museum receives no federal funding and relies on donations to keep its doors open. It sits next to the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, and the two can be combined in one trip to the area.
History Exhibit
The National Border Patrol Museum is the only one of its kind in the United States. It allows visitors to get a Border Patrol agent’s perspective on a job that’s not often portrayed in a positive light. It also covers the history of the U.S. Border Patrol, which was founded on May 28, 1924.
Although most of the museum focuses on the southern border with Mexico, a small section covers the northern border with Canada. It highlights the long cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Crossing Illegally
On display are vehicles used by people trying to illegally cross the border, including a raft used by four Cuban refugees on June 16, 1994. It was made of scrap metal, tire tubes, wood, and blue canvas.
Also featured are ladders and equipment used by smugglers and illegal aliens attempting to scale the border wall.
The displays continue with footwear intended to cover the tracks of people illegally crossing the border. They include shoes and sandals fitted with wooden hooves, carpet, or sponges.
A diorama exhibits how Border Patrol agents scour the border area to find a possible breach and track down the people who crossed.
One section shows how aliens are processed and fingerprinted, with a historic fingerprinting kit along with other equipment and photos on display.
Vehicles
A large room includes vehicles used by Border Patrol agents over the years. They range from classic cars to ATVs and jeeps as well as airplanes and a helicopter. Visitors can actually climb up to the helicopter and look at the controls.
Fallen Agents
A somber section of the National Border Patrol Museum contains photos of agents who lost their lives in the line of duty. It highlights the dangers of the job and reminds visitors that these agents risk their lives on a daily basis. The photos sit near display cases full of seized weapons.
Newton-Azrak Memorial
Finally, there’s a section dedicated to the memories of agents Theodore Newton and George Azrak. They were kidnapped and murdered by marijuana smugglers on June 17, 1967. They were the 46th and 47th agents to die in the line of duty, and the first since 1952.
The deaths of Newton and Azrak changed the organization of checkpoints. Since then, all checkpoints are managed by at least three agents instead of two. The Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism was named in their honor, and plaques engraved with the names of recipients sit on the wall next to the memorial.
