Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives

Over het museum

The museum occupies the former Newton Street police station in Manchester's Northern Quarter. The station was built in 1879 and served as a base for Manchester City Police and its successors, Manchester and Salford Police and then Greater Manchester Police, until 1979. The building was given Grade II listed status in 1994.

Greater Manchester Police Museum opened in the building in 1981. The interior was redesigned to reflect its working past, so visitors can see the charge office, the holding cells and a court room dating from 1895, which together give a picture of Victorian policing and justice.

The museum is funded by Greater Manchester Police. Besides displaying objects, uniforms, photographs and vehicles relating to policing in the area, it keeps an archive of personnel records of police officers, manuals and handbooks, records of police governing bodies before 1974 and registers of aliens living in Salford between 1914 and 1969. Volunteers and staff talk with visitors about policing, and the museum runs private tours and learning sessions for schools and community groups, including digital workshops.

Hoogtepunten

• Victorian police station of 1879 with original cells
• Court room of 1895 on the first floor
• Displays on the history of women in policing
• Police vehicles and wartime material in the collection
• Archive including the Salford register of aliens from 1914 to 1969
• Free entry every Tuesday

Vaste collectie

• Policing history collection – Displays in the former police station and its cells and court room on the history of policing in Greater Manchester, including vehicles, wartime material and the history of women in policing.

Opgericht

1981

Beheerder

Greater Manchester Police

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Admission is free. Donations are welcome. Private tours for groups are currently free of charge. Archive research is by appointment, with charges for some services such as archive images (£10 each) and photocopies (50p each).

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Most of the museum is step-free on the ground floor, but the former police station is reached across a cobbled yard. A customer lift serves the first-floor court room (22 stone steps otherwise); it is large enough for most motorised wheelchairs or double pushchairs, staff help with it, and it cannot be used in a fire. Visitors who could not leave by the stairs in an emergency cannot visit the upper floor. A portable hearing induction loop can be requested in the shop. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. One accessible toilet with baby changing is on the ground floor; there is no adult changing facility, the nearest Changing Places toilet being in the Arndale Shopping Centre. A visual story with photographs and sensory information can be downloaded, a quiet space is available on request, and tactile tours can be arranged. One member of staff is certified in BSL level 2, but interpreters are not provided. Fire regulations limit the building to 120 people on open days, which can cause queues.

Kinderen & gezin

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte

Private tours suit visitors over 6, and school-holiday opening is extended on volunteer-dependent days. Learning sessions for primary schools cover Victorian policing and crime and punishment. The lift is large enough for double pushchairs, there is a baby change facility in the accessible toilet, and breastfeeding is welcome throughout the building.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The nearest cycle racks are at Stevenson Square.

Service & horeca

• Café: niet aanwezig
• Restaurant: niet aanwezig
• Museumwinkel
• Wifi

No cafe; several places to eat and drink are within a five-minute walk in the Northern Quarter. Small souvenir shop at the front with items from 50p, open on Tuesdays during opening hours. Three unisex toilets. Wi-fi is mentioned on the venue hire page.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies: niet aanwezig

The Grade II building, with its cells and court room, can be hired for meetings, filming and events, subject to school bookings. Weddings are not offered.

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