Frequently asked questions

Planning your trip

Museum opening hours

The museum is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, excluding public holidays.

Museum entry fees

Entry to the museum is free.

Group bookings

Bookings are only required for:

school groups, and
groups larger than 10 people.

For school group or large group bookings, email policemuseum-mgr@police.vic.gov.au.

Accessibility

The museum is fully accessible to visitors with wheelchairs, walking frames and prams.

Assistance animals are welcome in the museum.

There are accessible toilets at the nearby Melbourne West police station.

The museum has some areas with lower light levels to preserve the precious collection. All efforts have been made to ensure lighting optimises visibility.

Museum text is at standard display size. Magnifying sheets and LED torches are available from the front desk for people with low vision.

Exhibitions, tours and displays

Exhibitions

The museum presents visitors with insights into Victoria's social and cultural history through a unique collection of objects, displays and documents including Australia's largest collection of Kelly Gang armour.

We offer an immersive experience from the beginnings that detail the establishment of Victoria Police, through to modern policing and technology.

Explore the years of societal change of the 20th century, world conflicts that show the dual role police have in wartime and on peacekeeping missions, and the equipment used by police.

Uncover some of the major investigations, including forensics and major crimes, and a section dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Our temporary exhibitions also showcase Victoria’s social and cultural history, beginning with our family-friendly exhibition on police animals.

Education programs

The museum offers education programs for school groups that complement the forensics and law and order curriculum.

We require teachers to accompany school groups during their visit.

To book your school visit, email policemuseum-mgr@police.vic.gov.au or call 03 8335 6202.

Guided tours

The museum has been created to provide a self-paced tour without a guide.

Sensitive content

The museum presents insights into Victoria's social and cultural history through a unique collection of objects, displays and documents dedicated to the history of law and order, policing, and crime. This includes content involving serious crime and violence.

Content warnings are displayed prominently where necessary.

The museum also contains histories relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including photographs, stories and names. Cultural sensitivity warnings are on display.

Getting to the museum

The museum is located at 313 Spencer Street Docklands VIC 3008.

There are many ways to get to the museum.

The museum is located:
- 450 metres from Southern Cross Railway Station
- 600 metres from Flagstaff Railway Station.
Latrobe Street
- Stop 1 via:
  - Route number 30, and
  - The free City Circle route 35
- Stop 119 via:
  - Route number 30
  - Route number 86, and
  - The free City Circle route 35.
Spencer Street
Take route number 86 to stop 119.
There is paid on and off-street parking nearby, including:
- City of Melbourne
- Wilson Parking, and
- Secure Parking.

COVID-19

Vaccination requirements

You are not required to be vaccinated to visit the museum.

Face mask requirements

You are not required to wear a face mask to visit the museum.

Museum health and safety measures

The museum has a range of health and safety measures in place to ensure your visit is as safe as possible.

Photography

Visitors are welcome to take non-flash photographs of the museum exhibits.

Museum shop items

The museum shop stocks a variety of items including toy police dogs and horses, umbrellas, water bottles, mugs, pens and other museum merchandise.

Food and drink

To preserve and protect our collection, we request you don’t consume food and beverages during your visit.

Cloakroom

Please leave backpacks and large items at home.

The museum has limited space and we’re unable to provide a cloakroom for bags and large items.

We reserve the right to inspect visitors’ bags.

Luggage lockers are available for a fee at Southern Cross Railway Station.

Donations

To assess donation offers, we require photographs of the item. Please position a ruler beside the item in the photo to provide a sense of scale. It is also helpful to take photos from several different angles.
Please tell us about the item you would like to donate, including:
- the history of the item
- when, where and by whom was it made, owned or used
- the stories that surround the object or the people connected to it
- the condition of the item
- the dimensions of the item
- for publications, the author, title and date
- any other information about the item (e.g. any distinguishing features, serial numbers, trademarks).
Items offered for donation cannot be left with the museum.
Please do not post precious objects, documents, or photographs.
All donation offers will be assessed by our Museum Acquisition Committee. It may take several months before a decision is made and there is no guarantee we will accept items that are offered for donation.

Research questions

The Museum’s Historical Services Unit manages extensive archives of documents, images and artefacts relating to the history of policing in Victoria.

We receive a high number of research requests and aim to reply in a timely manner.

Please email your research request to policemuseum-mgr@police.vic.gov.au

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