About

The Bradford Police museum is located in historical City Hall Bradford and provides an unique insight into the history of policing, criminal justice, civic enforcement and the development of crime and punishment in Bradford from the early 19th century on-wards.

The museum is situated on the site of the original 19th Century police station in City Hall which was operational between 1874 and 1974.The museum gallery covers the history of policing from the inception of the Bradford Borough Police force in 1848 right up to the present day.

Visits to the museum include guided tours of the original Victorian cells and court built in 1873 which formed part of the original police station.


Visitors can stand in the police cell that the famous escapologist Harry Houdini escaped from in the early years of the twentieth Century, and then climb up the dock steps to the beautifully preserved Victorian Court room used for filming by TV and film productions including Coronation Street.

Visit the gallery and see Victorian police truncheons, uniforms, swords, weapons, memorabilia, crime scene exhibits and unique photographs covering 150 years of policing in the city.

Much of the collection has never been seen by the public before.

View AccessAble’s Access Guide to find out about this venue’s accessibility. The guide contains detailed, accurate information which has been put together following a visit to the venue by one of AccessAble’s trained surveyors (link opens in a new window).