New Police Museum Opens Today

Mon, 22 June 2009 Courtesy of: Guardian Unlimited

The halcyon days where a copper could clip a trouble-maker round the ear without it being filmed on a passerby's mobile phone are to be celebrated in a museum that opened today in west London.

Ancient truncheons, handcuffs and the uniform worn by the first TV cop, Dixon of Dock Green, are all on display at the Met Collection, which will also act as a recruiting centre for the police.

The uniforms worn by peelers when police numbers on the shoulder were not a major issue and methods of communication before radio will be on display in the Met's first big venture into the heritage industry.

With some artefacts dating back to 1829, and archive photographs of the early days at Scotland Yard, the aim is to present a positive face at a time when the Met might be feeling beleaguered over criticism of its handling of the G20 demonstrations and allegations of credit card fraud and unconventional interrogation methods.

The museum will not feature items from the so-called Black Museum, or the Crime Museum to give it its correct title, at Scotland Yard, such as death masks and the stove on which murderer Denis Nilsen boiled the remains of his victims. But there will be a selection of items from almost two centuries of policing in the capital.

Maggie Bird, curator of the Met Collection, said: "We will rotate some of the 15,000 items from the police archives, including old maps of London and a world war II display."

Kit Malthouse, vice chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), which gave the green light to the £140,000 venture, said: "The Met Collection is a fantastic resource that has for too long been hidden from public view. The MPA and the mayor share the ambition to create a world class 'blue light' museum in the capital."

Admission is free and the museum will be open between 10am and 4pm on weekdays.

The Met Issued The Following Release Earlier:

The Met today (22 June) launched 'The Met Collection' heritage centre, a small showcase of historical exhibits, dating from as early as 1829, on permanent display to the public.

The 'Met Collection' centre, opposite West Brompton tube station, was officially opened by Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson set against a backdrop of historical theatre which included vintage police cars, motorbikes, uniforms and mounted branch officers.

Martin Tiplady, Director of Human of Resources for the Met said: "It's a proud day. The Met has so much history it's great to be able to share that with the people we serve. The Met Collection building will have a dual purpose, mixing old with the new. We will host recruitment events there and have a permanent careers advice area so new staff and officers coming into the Met will be inspired and get a sense of our history and pride."

He continued: "A centre celebrating the Met's long and distinguished history has been a long time in coming. The collection may be relatively small but I can see this appealing to Londoners generally, school parties and Met employees past and present. The real people behind this are my team who have created it and I thank them and also the MPA who helped bring this idea to life."

"The centre is free admission and will be open 10am to 4pm during weekdays," explains Maggie Bird, Curator of the Met Collection. "It's a small space but we believe we are making the best use of it. We will rotate some of the 15,000 items from the police archives, which include uniforms, old maps of London, police equipment, a World War II display and much, much more… so come and enjoy and be part of London's history."

Kit Malthouse, Vice Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), which gave the green light for the venture said:

"The Met collection is a fantastic resource that has for too long been hidden from public view. It encapsulates more than just the physical history of the Met - it charts the development of this great city and the changing face of our society.

"The MPA and the Mayor share the ambition to create a world class 'blue light' museum in the capital. This will be a valuable teaching resource and a world class tourist attraction. Such a development is long overdue, and this small but fascinating centre should be seen as a first encouraging step towards that goal."

The Met Collection centre maybe small, but it's certainly beautifully formed. A light, bright and airy space equipped with the latest technology. Current exhibits include a World War II and Policing display and a celebration of the 90th anniversary of Met women police officers, as well as other iconic items.

The Met Collection is free to all and more information can be found by calling 0207 161 1234. Learn about London, come and visit the Met Collection.