The True Crime Museum
Hastings seafront museum of crime, with a lethal-injection bed, killers' belongings and recorded confessions in a cave setting.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The True Crime Museum is housed in the seafront caves at White Rock in Hastings, reached through Palace Avenue Arcade. It presents the world of crime through objects, letters and recordings rather than reconstructions, and it describes itself as an attraction for anyone fascinated by the dark side of the subject.
The displays are grouped around serial killers, forensics, gangsters, prisoners and poisoners. Real artefacts include a lethal-injection deathbed and the acid containers used by the murderer John George Haigh. Love letters written from prison by Richard Ramirez, known as the Night Stalker, and Victorian London stories about Jack the Ripper show how individual cases were told and remembered.
In a surround-sound area called the Cinema Cave, visitors can hear recorded confessions from notorious killers. The museum also offers interactive games, seasonal events, crime walks in Hastings for groups and a shop. A visit takes about an hour, and the caves can be chilly.
Highlights
- A genuine lethal-injection deathbed
- Acid containers linked to the murderer John George Haigh
- Love letters written from prison by Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker
- Recorded confessions of notorious killers in the surround-sound Cinema Cave
- Displays on serial killers, forensics, gangsters, prisoners and poisoners
Permanent exhibition
- True crime collection – Real artefacts, letters and recorded confessions on serial killers, forensics, gangsters, prisoners and poisoners, shown in the seafront caves.
- Founded
- 2014
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £11.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £10.50Over-65s, students, and disabled visitors or carers |
| Children & teens | £9.50free up to age 5 · Child ticket for ages 6 to 16. |
| Seniors | £10.50Concession for ages 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | £10.50Disabled and carer concession; proof such as DLA, PIP, a Blue Badge or an Access Card must be shown on entry. |
| Students & apprentices | £10.50Valid student card required. |
| Groups | £7 per personSelf-guided group museum visit, per person. A curator's tour or a crime walk costs £6 per person extra; for these a minimum of 15 paying attendees applies. |
| Families | £36Two adults and two children. |
| Guidebook with two fingerprint postcards (add-on) | £3.50 |
Children aged 5 and under are admitted free. Visitors can browse the shop without paying admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum says it is wheelchair accessible, with all rooms and exhibits on the same level as the seafront entrance. Toilet facilities are on site. Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
| Family ticket | £36 · Two adults and two children. |
- Family tours & workshops
A family ticket and a child ticket from age 6 are available. The museum says parents should accompany children under 13, and that nothing is meant to make visitors scream or jump. Character meet-and-greet events are held at some holiday periods.
Getting there & parking
The museum is in the seafront caves at White Rock, entered from Palace Avenue Arcade. The website gives no public transport or parking details.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
A gift shop can be visited without paying museum admission.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
The whole museum, a space of about 3,000 square feet, can be hired for evenings (5pm to 1am) or overnight sleepovers (5pm to 9am); a non-refundable deposit secures the date.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography is allowed. |
| Good to know | Groups and schools can book self-guided visits, curator-led tours and crime walks of Hastings. The displays include sound effects, and the caves can be chilly, so warm clothing is advised. |
