Vancouver Police Museum
Discover Vancouver's history of crime and justice at North America's oldest police museum, housed in the city's former morgue.
For a look into Vancouver's gritty past, step inside the Vancouver Police Museum. Housed in a heritage building that was once the city's Coroner's Court, morgue, and crime lab, this museum offers a fascinating and sometimes chilling glimpse into the history of policing and crime in the city. With over 20,000 artifacts, it's a unique attraction for those interested in true crime and the darker side of Vancouver's history.
Why Visit the Vancouver Police Museum?
- Historic Location: The building itself is an artifact, having served as the city morgue and crime lab from 1932 to 1980.
- True Crime Stories: Delve into some of Vancouver's most infamous cold cases and historical crimes.
- Unique Exhibits: See a vast collection of confiscated weapons, counterfeit money, and forensic evidence from a bygone era.
- The Old Morgue: For those not faint of heart, you can step into the authentic autopsy suite, which has been preserved since its last use.
What to See & Do
- Main Gallery: Explore exhibits on the history of the Vancouver Police Department, from its earliest days to modern forensics.
- The Sins Gallery: Discover confiscated weapons, illegal gambling devices, and paraphernalia from the city's history of vice.
- True Crime Gallery: Located in the former morgue, this area details real, and sometimes unsolved, criminal cases from Vancouver's past.
- Interactive Fun: Try your hand at creating a mug shot, step into a photo-op jail cell, or let the kids try on real police uniforms from the dress-up box.
- Sins of the City Walking Tour: In the summer, consider booking this popular guided tour that explores the history of the surrounding neighbourhood (ages 16+).
Food & Drink Options
- The museum does not have its own cafe.
- It is located on the eastern edge of Gastown, where you will find a huge variety of excellent cafes, pubs, and restaurants just a few blocks to the west.
Pro Tips & Local Insights
- Not for the Squeamish: The True Crime gallery and autopsy suite are authentic and contain graphic details and real human organs used for educational displays. Visitor discretion is advised.
- Movie Night in the Morgue: The museum occasionally hosts movie nights in the old morgue. Check their website for this unique and popular event.
- Location Awareness: The museum is situated between Gastown and the Downtown Eastside. While it's safe to visit, visitors should be aware of their surroundings as they would in any urban area.
Nearby Attractions (Transit-Friendly)
- Gastown: Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, with cobblestone streets, unique shops, and restaurants, is a 5-minute walk west.
- Chinatown: One of North America's oldest Chinatowns is a 10-minute walk south.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesVancouver Police Museum Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Address: 240 E Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1L3, Canada
Phone: (604) 665-3346
Official Website: Vancouver Police Museum
Vancouver Police Museum Reviews
Rated out of 5
Slightly a bit off the way but walkable from the vancouver Chinatown. Here lies the police museum with our short history as well as tools that were used by the police officers to investigate and solve crime. It was an interesting visit if you were into criminology
Luke L'sk - 2 months ago
It was very cool to go through the museum learning all the different way the police had done forensic, weapons, transportation and different criminal and crime. We were able to learn a lot and had fun walking around.
Kongk4ze - 2 months ago
Fascinating, well laid out exhibits in an historic building. The docents were knowledgeable and clearly moved their subject matter.
Josh McHugh - a week ago
Great displays, information and items, but not recommended for kids under 8-10 years as theres morgue and weapons displayed on the place. We bought a stuffed K-9 named Vook which is at service right now!
Felipe Bautista - 2 months ago
Fascinating top to bottom. Every exhibit drips with passion, and the staff go above and beyond. If you want to learn about history, justice, forensics, technology, weapons or even just appreciate a historic building, this is for you.
Parking was dirt cheap 4$ for 2h on the street, not even hard to find a spot. Admission is much lower than I expected too... Honestly I can't think of a reason not to go! Don't hesitate!
H P - a week ago
Directions
| SkyTrain and Bus Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Expo Line | Granville Station or Waterfront Station | 2 Minutes |
| Canada Line | Waterfront Station | 2 Minutes |
How to get to Vancouver Police Museum by SkyTrain and Bus
The Vancouver Police Museum is located on the edge of Gastown. While walkable from downtown, the most direct route involves a short bus ride that drops you off very close to the entrance.
From Granville Station exit onto Granville Street and catch either a #4 Powell or #7 Nanaimo Station Bus going northbound. From Waterfront Station exit onto W. Cordova Street, cross over at the light and go left to the first eastbound bus stop on W Cordova. Catch either of the buses indicated above. Exit the a short distance later at Main Street and continue walking east on Cordova to the museum entrance in the same block.
Map & Instant Route Finder
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Photo Gallery
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The old morgue inside the Vancouver Police Museum cc licensed photo by Kenny Louie -
Memorial statue outside the Vancouver Police Museum cc licensed photo by rick -
Neat stained glass window at the Vancouver Police Museum cc licensed photo by rick -
Trying on an old police officers hat cc licensed photo shared by rick
