The Historical Museum of Lawmen inside the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office will open to the public two Saturdays each month beginning Sept. 28, according to museum coordinator Jim Beasley.
The museum is normally open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Starting Sept. 28, the museum will also open its doors on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entrance to the museum is free of charge.
An Open House is also planned Sept. 28 to kick off the new hours. The Special Deputy Sheriff’s Commission, an all-volunteer arm of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, will oversee the Saturday openings and will host the Open House with light refreshments.
“We hope the new weekend hours will accommodate those who would like to visit the museum, but have other commitments during the week,” said Beasley. “It’s a good opportunity for people to reconnect with one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country.”
There are several permanent displays inside the museum, including the hearse which carried Doña Ana County Sheriff Pat Garrett to his final resting place in 1908. The museum also boasts a large collection of law enforcement patches and photos, historic booking records and many other historic memorabilia from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, which was formed in 1852.