Black History Month 2026 – Week 3
October marks Black History Month, and this year’s theme is ‘Honouring our Communities’. Over the four weeks of October, we will be honouring the West Midlands Police community by showcasing the stories and achievements of some of the Black officers who have been part of our history and in week three of these features, we are looking …
Black History Month 2026 – Week 2
October marks Black History Month, and this year’s theme is ‘Honouring our communities’. Throughout the month, we will be showcasing the stories and achievements of some of the Black officers who have shaped our history. Week one featured Ralph Ramadhar the first Black officer to join the Birmingham City Police in 1966. For week two, …
October marks Black History Month, and this year’s theme is ‘Honouring our communities’. Over the next four weeks, we will be honouring the West Midlands Police Community by showcasing the stories and achievements of some of the Black officers who have been part of our history. This week’s feature is on Ralph Ramadhar. Ralph became …
WMP Museum is now featured on Bloomberg Connects App
We are delighted to announce that the West Midlands Police Museum is now featured on Bloomberg Connects, bringing a new digital dimension to the museum experience and making it easier than ever for visitors to explore our fascinating history. Bloomberg Connects is a free arts and culture app that brings together digital guides from more …
We are proud to feature on the AccessAble Website
We have taken another significant step in our commitment to accessibility by becoming featured on the AccessAble website, providing our visitors with detailed information to help them plan their visit with confidence. AccessAble is a leading provider of accessibility information, offering detailed guides that include facts, measurements and photographs to help people understand exactly what …
Unlocked Stories: Sergeant Hartley
With over 200 years of history across the West Midlands it’s not surprising, but always delightful, when visitors add to our story with their own family tales. Recently we were visited by Roger, Katie, and Emily – relatives of Sergeant Percy Hartley whose career took him across the country to Liverpool, Tilbury, and Hull, before …
In 2026 we are celebrating 10 years since the closing of the Lock-up as a custody facility. In the autumn, we will have a special exhibition reflecting on the ups of downs of ‘Life at the Lane’ and we need your help to make it special. Have you ever stayed or worked at Central Custody …
Belly of the Beast: Handsworth 1985
This year we converted the former Lock-up kitchen to a brand new exhibition space; with display cabinets kindly donated by the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, a fresh lick of paint, and a new lease of life to the space we have been eagerly awaiting our first exhibition. Discussions began with world renowned artist Pogus …
West Midlands Tourism Awards 2026 – WINNERS!
Having won the New Tourism Business Award in 2024, the team at the Lock-up set themselves the challenge of making this unique museum as accessible as possible to the public. No small task given the building’s listed status and distinctive style; how do you make a Victorian building, out of use since 2016, accessible to …
Sleepover Winners – 4th Warwick Guides
In 2025 we asked local scouts, cubs, guides, and brownies to put their creative skills to the test. The challenge – design a new sew-on patch celebrating the Lock-up. The prize? A free sleepover here at the museum! We were blown away by the amount of wonderful submissions from across the West Midlands – it …
Behind the Scenes – Getting Ready for 2026!
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, …
Fashion Police: Free group visit enquiry
Free group visits to the Police Museum – Thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund PLEASE BE AWARE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED We’re excited to share a fantastic opportunity for both adult and young people’s groups to visit the Police Museum for free! Thanks to the generous support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are …
Unlocked Stories: The Road Safety Act, 1967
Written by William Phillips – Aston University. When conducting a placement in such a unique museum and archive, you come across plenty of items, holdings, and displays that pique your interest. But while I was diving into the Forward Magazine series, indexing interesting information throughout, one satirical cartoon completely threw me off – it was …
We have welcomed hundreds of schools, Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cubs, and other young people’s groups over the past few years – and now it’s your chance to not only visit our museum, but spend a night in the cells for free! We are looking to create a sew-on patch suitable for young people’s groups to …
30 Years On: How the National DNA Database Revolutionised Policing
As 2025 marks 30 years since the introduction of the National DNA Database (NDNAD), we thought we’d take a look back and share some information on how this vital crime fighting tool has developed both locally and across the UK. Many people will be aware of Dr Alec Jeffreys’ discovery in 1984 that enabled him …
