National Border Patrol Museum & Memorial Library

Great museum. Definitely a must do if you come through El Paso. Lots of history on Border Patrol and their depaetments history. You will learn about the weapons confiscated and tools used to get through the border. They also have weapons, cameras, vehicles, a Chopper, a boat, and other cool tools and weapons used as a defense to fight and keep the border safe.

The Border Patrol Museum fits well into a weekend jaunt over to the Northeast. It combines nicely with the Museum of Archaeology, which is right next door, and a hike up to the Mammoth.
As for what’s inside– the museum is small, but actually manages to pack in quite a number of exhibits (both interactive and viewing only). The highlight for me was the Willies Jeep (bright turquoise!!); for my fiancé, it was the «Seized Weapons» exhibit, over in the back left corner. There is also a very nice display on the usage of K9 Units in Border Patrol. Make sure you read the sign about Ninja, the Border Patrol K9 with the largest number of «discoveries.» Very impressive, and adorable to boot!
Keep in mind that this museum is on the small side, so you may only need to plan for an hour or so. It is also free, with a donation box by the front door. They suggest a dollar or two apiece, which is very fair.
All in all, a great start to a Saturday morning!

Enjoyed checking out the exhibits in this museum. Some of the items on display were U.S. Border Patrol vehicles, a boat, jet ski, ATV, helicopter, firearms, uniforms, historical items, and examples of homemade contraptions used to enter the U.S. A short video that was available for viewing was quite interesting and provided some insight into the job of a border patrol agent. There is a gift shop in the back corner of the museum.

I spent about an hour walking through this museum and I thought it was a good place to get an small history on the Border Patrol. There’s definitely room for growth at this museum, but you’ll leave with at least a few new nuggets of info.
All of the exhibits are hands-​off, but they do have a lot of historical exhibits like the uniforms over the years, vehicles and boats created to enter the US, vehicles and even a boat previously used by BP. There is also a wall for those that have donated and two rooms for those that have lost their lives serving in the BP.
I’d really like to see some hands-​on things at the museum that can really round out the education portion for kids that come to the museum. And I think there are some easy things they could do, like create a replica fingerprinting exhibit where a kid could be «fingerprinted». Or replica uniforms where a kid could put on a replica jacket from the 1980s and have a few pictures snapped with their parents.
The gift shop is pretty nice. There’s mugs, shirts, postcards, keychains, blankets, and more all with «Border Patrol» on it so you can commemorate your trip to the museum.

Enjoyed spending the day here, interesting things to see, a must when you visit El Paso (:

Good place to check out. A lot of history on the U.S. Border Patrol and their mission. They have a lot of different exhibits, photos, and even firearms. There is also a helicopter, a Camaro, ATV and even a boat you can check out. The gift shop has a few unique items and books that are interesting.

Interesting information on the timelines of the Border Patrol. Static displays were great, but maybe more A/​V?

Informative and educational museum on the history of the U.S. Border Patrol. Many interesting things to read, a movie to watch, and plenty of other interactive displays.
Admission is FREE, there is plenty of parking, and the employees were helpful and friendly.
Don’t forget to visit the gift shop in the back of the museum before heading out! They have lots of neat shirts, hats, and more!

Well worth the price of admission (free). Entire museum is located inside except for a boat out back. Will take about an hour to make your way through it if you read every printed thing in the place. Lots of vehicles for kids to climb in/​on. Visit the El Paso archeology museum next door while you are here.

FREE and educational on the history of the U.S. Border Patrol.
Some really cool antique BP/​Law Enforcement tools and efforts.
A bit out of the way in NE El Paso. If you are interested in seeing some old BP stuff and history this is cool.
They also have shirts & various trinkets. Love the lapel pins. Works wonders wearing them when I cross the border. LMAO.

This is a free museum, and they depend upon the donations of those that visit, so keeping that in mind, they have done a pretty good job.
The museum is definitely on the smaller side, but it does have a lot of history and plenty to read and look at while you’re inside. They have a lot of vintage vehicles, and a few exhibits where you can learn about how the Border Patrol was formed and how they have changed over the years.
The people working at the museum were very nice and informative. I spent about an hour looking around with my girlfriend and she thought it was a pretty good museum too. They have a little gift shop as well if you’re interested in a souvenir or something to remember the visit.

I’m not sure what offended me more about the border museum… mm, was it it the Little Homies about to be put on a border patrol detention bus or the absolute lack of any educational value? Avoid this museum all costs and instead visit the real museums in downtown El Paso.
UPDATE (August 20, 2013): Someone claiming to be affiliated with the El Paso Border Patrol Museum replied to my post (see below).
Rather than comment on the racist «little homie» exhibit, I was encouraged to enjoy the new gift shop. This is a private organization that benefits from a tax free status and I am appalled that they call themselves a «museum», as if they serve an educational purpose.
While I applaud Border Patrol agents, I am appalled by the museum. Until they critically examine border issues, I would stay clear.
Comment from Art R. of National Border Patrol Museum & Memorial Library 8÷20÷2013: I’m sorry you were offended. Our Museum has worked to maintain the honor and traditions of the Border Patrol. With our newly redesigned Exhibitions, the newest additions to our collections, and the brand new gift shop featuring licensed Border Patrol memorabilia, the National Border Patrol Museum is better than ever! We’ve got various vehicles, firearms, tools, and articles of history for the whole family to enjoy. Please, stop in to see us today, admission is free, and visit with our new Manager SanJuanita. We’d love to show you the history this organization has founded. We put honor first.