The Centennial Museum has gradually refined its mission over its now seventy years of life; it is the oldest museum in El Paso and as such was initially El Paso's attic! The vision now is to provide lively displays about the Chihuahuan Desert as habitat and about the animals and peoples that have lived in it, the challenges they face, and the fascination of this, the largest desert in North America. Temporary special exhibits explore a wide range of issues about border life and culture, and about life in the Americas.

The Centennial was founded with funds from the State of Texas in 1936, part of the celebration of the centennial of Texas independence in 1836, and was deeded at that time to the University system to ensure permanent support and staffing. It remained the only museum in El Paso for many years. Today, as part of a large museum commmunity, the Centennial has become the major natural history center in the border complex. It continues to be part of the Unversity of Texas but also serves the wider border community, working in partnership with other museums in the region to present a full array of special exhibits.