Be first to see the latest exhibitions on show at the museum.
Temporary Exhibitions
9/11: A Uniform Response - 11 September, 2012 - 28 March , 2013
Things of Fire and Ash - 9 February 2013 -
Permanent Displays
The Victoria Police Museum has a unique collection of artefacts ranging from the armour worn by Dan Kelly and Steve Hart in the famous 1880 Glenrowan seige, to evidence collected from crime scenes such as the Russell Street bombing and Hoddle Street shootings.
See below for a description of the themes covered by the museum's permanent displays.
Victoria Police history
The museum presents a history of Victoria Police from its beginnings in 1853 to the present day. Find out about the role of police in the Eureka Stockade and the problem of Bushranging in nineteenth century Victoria. Learn about the strange variety of jobs police were required to carry out in the past and when the first women were employed as police in Victoria.
Cops and robbers
The history of policing in Victoria is littered with famous and infamous personalities. The preservation, documentation, and display of items such as the death mask of Frederick Deeming (Australia's Jack the Ripper), the criminal record and fingerprints of notorious 1930s underworld figure Squizzy Taylor, and the notebooks of Detective Reg Eagle Eye Henderson, provide a fascinating insight into the criminal mind through the ages, as well as the brave police who caught them.
Courage and Valour
Since 1853, over 150 Victoria Police members have been killed in the line of duty underlining the dangers police face on a daily basis. In recognition of those who courageously gave their lives, the Victoria Police Museum presents exhibits detailing several incidents including displays of bravery medals, and the shirts of Sergeant Gary Silk and Constable Rodney Miller, who were shot and killed on duty in 1998.
Community
Just as Victoria's population and communities have grown and diversified, so have the duties undertaken by Victoria Police as community guardians. Today Victoria Police is involved with many community focused initiatives including traffic control, road safety, Neighbourhood Watch, the Safety House program, Crime Stoppers and Blue Light Disco. An absorbing array of related exhibits such as early speed detection devices are on display at the museum.
Crime scene investigation
From the introduction of fingerprinting in the early 1900s to today's DNA profiling, technology has revolutionised forensic science. With hi-tech tools and techniques at their disposal, today's crime scene investigators are able to solve crimes quickly and with greater certainty. The remains of the infamous Russell Street car bomb are on display among other case studies which offer insight into the development of forensic tools and methodologies.
Eric - The Specialist Explosive Ordnance Demolition Vehicle
In 1989, the Australian built 'Echidna' Mk 1 explosive ordnance demolition vehicle, nicknamed Eric, became the first bomb disposal robot used by Victoria Police. Eric could move into dangerous areas, pick up suspicious objects, climb stairs and even stand itself up again if it toppled over in rough terrain or in an explosion. Eric honourably retired from duty and is on display at the Victoria Police Museum.
