Collection Spotlight

No matter how big or small, every artifact tells a story. While only a fraction of the objects and images in the Museum's collection, these eye-catching artifacts capture significant moments in the history of drugs and drug law enforcement.

A collection of stamps.

2020 Drug Free USA Stamp

A first day of issue cover for the 2020 Drug Free USA stamp.

A white and black pilot helmet.

Air Wing Helmet

A helmet from DEA’s Aviation Division, or Air Wing.

glass globe on metal base

Apothecary Show Globe

Filled with colorful liquid, apothecaries and pharmacists used these items as symbols.

A gold-and-blue badge next to both halves of a steel mold.

Badge Molds

A set of molds used to make early narcotic agents’ badges.

A square spiked bamboo booby trap

Bamboo Booby Trap

A spiked bamboo trap that protected drug traffickers' illicit crops in Thailand.

A black swallow-tailed flag with white lettering.

Basic Agent Training Guidon

A forked, or swallow-tailed, flag assigned to classes of new recruits that complete training to become DEA special agents.

Beretta 92F 9MM Parabellum Pistol

Beretta 92F 9MM Parabellum Pistol

A diamond-encrusted pistol discovered in one of Joaquín “El Chapo” Archivaldo Guzmán Loera’s safe houses.

dark bronze plaque with BNDD seal

Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Plaque

Credentials issued in 1944 to Robert S. O'Brien

Bureau of Narcotics Credentials

Credentials issued in 1944 to Robert S. O'Brien, Agent, Federal Bureau of Narcotics.

Ceramic Elephant

Ceramic Elephant

A ceramic elephant gifted to DEA by Thai royalty.

Cocaine Mold

Cocaine Mold

A wooden mold used to press cocaine syrup or powder into solid bricks.

Items from cross-border smuggling tunnels

Cross-Border Smuggling Tunnels

These materials came from tunnels used to smuggle thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States.