Melbourne Tourist Attractions: Victoria Police Museum

One of the most interesting Melbourne tourist attractions is the Victoria Police Museum. Whenever something happens, the police is involved. The museum is so much more than a collection of photos and uniforms. It details important aspects of Victorian history like the Kelly gang, the Russel Street car bomb, Hoddle Street massacre and the recent bushfire tragedies. Learn more about the Victoria Police Museum in this article.

One of the most interesting Melbourne tourist attractions is the Victoria Police Museum. Whenever something happens, the police is involved. The museum is so much more than a collection of photos and uniforms. It details important aspects of Victorian history like the Kelly gang, the Russel Street murders and the recent bushfire tragedies. Learn more about the Victoria Police Museum in this article.

The Victoria Police Museum: How to Get there

The museum is situated in the World Trade Centre on 637 Flinders Street, just off Spencer Street. You can go there by train. If you go by train you'd best get off at Southern Cross station, it is a bit closer than getting off at Flinders Street station. The free city circle tram stops right in front of the World Trade Centre as well. You can visit the museum every day from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. It is not yet opened on weekends and is also closed on public holidays outside of the weekends.

The Victoria Police Museum: The Kelly Gang

The Victoria Police Museum has some interesting pieces from the Kelly era. Two of the most significant objects in the collection are two Kelly armours. Ned Kelly and his gang were bushrangers, who committed many crimes before they were caught by the police and killed or brought to justice.

In their last fight, the Kelly Gang used heavy 45kg armours to protect their bodies and faces from bullets. Although the armours offered protection, the extra weight probably hampered them more than anything. Dan Kelly, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart died in the fight. Ringleader Ned Kelly survived multiple shots in his legs and arms, but was sentenced to a hanging. In the museum, you will find that the two pieces of the Kelly armour are now proudly displayed. These are probably the "crown jewels" of the collection and worth a visit alone.

The Victoria Police Museum: More Recent Records

If you visit the museum, you will also see the Victoria Police’s other involvement to the major events that happen in the state. Two famous examples include the Russell Street car bomb and the Hoddle Street massacre. There are also records of some recent events. A very recent event like the horrific bushfires of Black Saturday (February 2009) is given attention in the museum.

The Victoria Police Museum: Crime Scene Photos and Much More

The museum has an interesting part (the left hand back of the museum) in which a series of black-and-white crime scene photos is displayed. These black and white photos come across as artistic and they definitely contain interesting detail and stories. Very fascinating.

If you go to the museum, you will also be able to view items such as outdated communications equipment, breathalyser, and fingerprint exhibition. You will also be very amused to see the collection of old police uniforms and badges. The other interesting facts that you will learn include the first entrance of women in the police force in 1917, eighty percent of the Victorian officers in the eighteen seventies were Irish etc.

The entrance to the museum is free, but you can leave a small donation so that the museum can continue to do its work.

Thus, the Victoria Police Museum is definitely an interesting Melbourne tourist attraction and worth a visit when you are in Melbourne. The museum is not huge, so it is not likely to take hours and hours out of your day as well.

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