Vancouver Police Museum, Vancouver

The Vancouver Police Museum resides in what was formerly the Coroner's Court where all the Autopsy were preformed in the city. This function is long gone, however, many interesting (and stomach churning) memorabilia from odd autopsies are still preserved on the walls of the room. CREDIT: Venture Vancouver, SOURCE: www.venturevancouver.com

The Autopsy Room in the Vancouver Police Museum is filled with items extracted during autopsies preformed in the very room they are housed for public viewing.

STATS

HOURS

RATES

Type:

Museum

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

All Weather

Time:

2 hours

Cost:

What to bring:

Camera, Questions, Sense of Curiosity

Vancouver's Police Museum, otherwise known as the Police Centennial Museum was opened to celebrate one hundred years of policing in Vancouver. Operating in the old Corner's Court near the Gastown District, the Vancouver Police Museum offers a look into a different side of the city with vast collections of weaponry, seized evidence, uniforms, badges, historic pieces and autopsy oddities. Exploring the Vancouver Police Museum (with its fitting slogan: An Arresting Experience) is a great way to learn something different about this Western Canadian city.

Opened in 1986 to commemorate 100 years of law enforcement in Vancouver, The Vancouver Police Museum is full of interesting and odd police memorabilia spanning over a century.

Housed in the old Corners Court building in East Vancouver near Gastown, this red bricked building has been converted to exhibits, pictures, artifacts, weapons (such as tasers, nunchucks and old tommy guns) and a range of other paraphernalia popular in the current trend of fascination with shows like CSI, Bones and NCIS.

Old Posters line the stairway of the Police Museum and the front corridor is filled with teaching tools, badges and plaques commemorating members of the police force who have served the city of Vancouver. Several rooms, hallways and a gift shop can be found on the second story which encompasses the bulk of the museum.

The Vancouver Police Museum offers a look at a range of chilling tales of some of Vancouver's most infamous murders such as the unsolved case of the Babes in the Woods, two children who were found dead in Stanley Park and other crimes such as the milkshake murders, axe murder and other gruesome tales.

The old morgue's layout is integrated into the museum with its storage drawers and the autopsy room of which one entire wall is filled with medical oddities and malformations, a room not for the squeamish. That particular room was the location of the famous autopsy of actor Errol Flynn who died during a trip to Vancouver.

Examples of patrol uniforms and historic documents are also found throughout the museum as well as a life-size replica of a mounted officer and police car. The museum also offers some humorous items such as photos of a mounted officer being attacked by a Canadian goose and a dog failing to jump a hurdle at the K9 training location.

The Vancouver Police Museum is an interesting look into a different side of Vancouver and its amazing collection and the dedication of the society that runs the museum makes visiting this historic building worthwhile.