About Victoria Police

Victoria Police Museum

The Victoria Police Museum is home to a darker side of Victorian history. With tales of colourful criminals and the gallant work of police in risky situations, the museum offers a unique view into the execution of Victorian crimes and the aftermath of disasters.

The museum collection reflects Victoria Police's role in almost every major incident in Victoria. See the armour of Kelly Gang members, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, who were captured by police in 1880 during the infamous Glenrowan siege and learn about why 1870s Detective John Christie was known as Victoria Police’s Sherlock Holmes. Also, do not miss the never-before-seen exhibition of cold case crime scene photographs.

See over 150 years of stories and displays of crime, justice, courage, forensic techniques and examples of how police are making Victoria a safer place to live.

To miss it would be a crime!

Latest exhibition

Ambush: Ned Kelly and the Stringybark Creek murders

Watch the promotional video

An exciting new temporary exhibition, Ambush: Ned Kelly and the Stringybark Creek murders will open at the Victoria Police Museum on January 4, 2010.

Focusing on the police murders at Stringybark Creek by the Kelly Gang in October 1878, the exhibition showcases the museum’s significant collection on the history of the ‘Kelly outbreak’.

Many of the documents shed new light on the immediate aftermath of the police murders and provide us with unique insights into how the community and police dealt with this dramatic turn of events.

A highlight of the exhibition will be a number objects that have never been seen before, including a map depicting the site of the Stringybark Creek ambush, hand-drawn by the sole surviving police officer, Constable Thomas McIntyre.

"I said to Kennedy, ‘Oh Sergeant…I think you had better surrender for we are surrounded’. His face immediately assumed a serious look. I turned round to look at Kelly, who was in the act of changing his rifle…his mates just now broke cover and advanced"

Thomas McIntyre

Also on display for the first time will be Ned Kelly’s blood-stained cartridge bag recovered by Sergeant Steele at the Glenrowan siege in 1880.

"That is Ned Kelly’s cartridge bag. That is the one he was

wearing at Glenrowan...And that stain is his blood."

Sergeant Arthur Steele

Tours

The museum offers a range of unique education programs for school groups. Click here to download a current copy of the Victoria Police Museum Education Program Brochure.

Other groups have the opportunity to book a special introduction to the collection. Please phone 9247 5304 or email policemuseum-mgr@police.vic.gov.au for more information and to arrange a booking.

Click here to download the Victoria Police Museum Information Brochure for planning your visit, directions and maps and details of the Museum's exhibitions.

Events

Digital Exhibition: Federation Square "Big Screen"

If you’re visiting Federation Square during January and February, keep an eye on the Big Screen for the Victoria Police Museum’s digital exhibition, "Crime Scene". See wonderful black and white images of Melbourne during the 1920s, 30s and 40s taken by police photographers

View past events

Ned Kelly Unearthed

Following the recent archaeological dig at the Glenrowan siege site, on 23 November 2009, the State Library of Victoria hosted an event to explore recent discoveries surrounding the Kelly Outbreak. Chaired by historian Claire Wright, the evening included presentations by Kelly author Ian Jones, archaeologist Adam Ford, Historian Alex McDermott and Victoria Police Museum collections manager, Liz Marsden.

You can view this event by logging onto the following website:

http://ourgreatsouthernland.blogspot.com/2009/11/ned-kelly-unearthed-panel-discussion.html

Digitising Australian collections

Not So Innocent Objects
Sometimes, ordinary objects hide dark or unusual stories behind their seemingly unremarkable or normal exteriors.


This felt fedora hat belonged to Ronald Ryan (1925 – 1967), the last person to receive the death penalty in Australia.

Not So Innocent Objects is a Google Earth video tour that focuses on objects from museums that appear fairly typical or ordinary, but in fact, all tell a story relating to the theme of crime. The project, which was developed by the Collections Australia Network and the Victoria Police Museum, aimed to encourage a diverse range of museums and cultural organisations to digitise objects from their collections.

To see Not So Innocent Objects go the Google Earth video tour on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV-JptAOCTo.

Location

The museum is at the World Trade Centre, Lower Concourse Level. Main entrance via Siddeley Street (near corner of Flinders and Spencer streets), Melbourne, Victoria.

Opening hours

Monday           10am - 4pm
Tuesday         10am - 4pm
Wednesday   10am - 4pm
Thursday        10am - 4pm
Friday              10am - 4pm

We will be open between Christmas and New Year. The museum is closed on weekends and public holidays.