Published on | General
It’s been a busy start to 2026 for the Museum. While the doors have been closed to the public to allow for important maintenance work, the staff and volunteers have been working hard organising our collections, preparing for temporary exhibitions, and for our upcoming school visits and events.
Making the most of closed doors
Throughout January, the Museum welcomed a cohort of CSI students embarking on their first module around forensic photography.
Training officer, Hannah Allen, said: “2026 has seen the Specialist Investigative Training Department start to run College of Policing CSI Level 1 training courses for internal staff.
“In the hunt for a space to pilot the first module, which was focused on the key skill of photography, it was clear that the West Midlands Police Museum would make an ideal space to learn and develop this skill.
“As luck would have it the Museum was also closed in January to the public for essential building work. The Museum allowed our trainees to experiment with different lighting, angles, spaces. The FSIs also enjoyed learning about the history of forensics and stories from policing past.”
Meanwhile, staff and volunteers took the downtime to work through our vast collection. This ranged from archiving new donations, re-organising our storage cells, and safe disposal of some items. In 2026 we are looking to revamp some of our cells, with more items out on display and a brand new exhibition space to showcase themed temporary exhibitions!
What’s more we are working to increase the amount of the collection available to interact with – our handling collection and uniform try on is a firm favourite amongst visitors, so we shall be expanding this in the near future. Watch this space for updates as more is revealed!
Fashion Police heads to Birmingham City University
The Fashion Police project is now on display at the Parkside Gallery at Birmingham City University. Staff, officers, students, and friends and family attended the launch event where those who brought the project to life discussed its vision and purpose. The combination of digital recreations (including a Snapchat filter to see yourself in the historic uniforms) alongside physical garments bring to life the stories surrounding them. From achievements in diversity, to technological advances in safety, the uniforms through the ages showcase the ever evolving roles and responsibilities of the police and their place in society.
February half term
This half term we’re celebrating Lunar New Year, year of the horse. Visitors can expect crafting sessions and a new mounted unit trail to challenge our junior detectives.
What’s more, for those looking for something truly different for the family, you can now grab tickets for our Family Friendly Walking Tour. Explore the streets around the Lock-up and discover true crime stories, from the ridiculous to hilarious! This 30 minute tour is only £2.50 per person, the perfect add on for a visit to the museum!
The museum is now back open to the public.