The police museum was set up in the 1980's to explain and illustrate Northern Ireland's unique and often contentious policing history. Our collection includes police uniforms, equipment, medals and archives from the early 1800's to the present day and also weapons used against the police over the years.
How can I visit?
The police museum is located in a former sergeant's married quarters at Police Headquarters, Brooklyn. Displays are located on ground level and are fully accessible for all.
The museum is open to the public from 10am until 4pm from Monday to Friday by appointment only. Please contact us ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment.
We welcome groups of up to 20 and can also arrange evening visits. If you are unable to visit the museum, our staff are happy to give talks and presentations to outside groups or take museum displays out to events.
What can I find in the museum?
The museum has displays of police uniforms and equipment, medals and archives as well as displays of terrorist weapons used against police over the years. To add a personal touch, visitors are personally shown round by the Curator, which takes about 40 minutes. We also have a reference library and archive which allows visitors to find information on ancestors who served in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and early Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). Academic researchers are welcome to use the museum’s archive of police records from the 1840's onwards.
Read a History of Policing in Ireland
What else happens at the museum?
The museum is also the base for The Police Historical Society (N.I.) which promotes and encourages research into police history in general. The society holds monthly meetings from October to April in the Northern Ireland Police College on subjects of interest and produces a regular museum magazine with articles and features on police history. If you would like to know more about the society please contact the museum at [email protected]
Museum staff are also able to provide some genealogy information from service records.
Hope to see you soon!