The Bradford Police Museum is an award winning independent museum and registered charity. It is based in City Hall, Centenary Square in the center of Bradford. The Bradford Police Museum was voted one of the best small museums in the country by the times in 2023.
The museum provides an insight into the history and the heritage of policing, criminal justice, civic enforcement and the development of crime and punishment in Bradford. The museum is situated on the site of the original 19th century police station in the city hall operational between 1874 and 1974 bringing together exhibits, documents and memorabilia relating to the history of policing from the inception of the Bradford Borough police force in the mid 19th century to present day.
When visitors go to the police museum they can follow in the footsteps of Victorian prisoners during a guided tour of the original Victorian cells together with a visit to the preserved Victorian court room.
The collection includes Victorian police truncheons, uniforms and a unique photographic archive covering 150 years of policing in the city.
GHOST ENCOUNTERS
At Bradford Police Museum you can sense the atmosphere from the inside the cells where 1000s of violent criminals and murderers were confined and where visitors can still experience an oppressive presence where the lingering souls of former prisoners may be still stalking the corridors and cells. People sense the presence of the spirit of a young victorian girl named Bertha who has been reportedly seen sat in one of the cells.
You can hear about the paranormal events that have been experienced by guides, visitors, security and police officers over the years, cold spots, flying objects, computer malfunctions, equipment infestations, foul smell, orbs and phantom figures caught on camera or glimpsed on the edge of vision.
Hear author Les Vasey, local historian, a former senior police officer, and a member of the society for psychical research tell the story of chains Charlie a former prisoner who was allegedly tortured in the cells and executed for murder in 1888, the same year that jack the ripper walked the streets of London
