Queensland Police Museum facts for kids
The Queensland Police Museum is a special place that collects and shows items connected to the Queensland Police Service. It tells the story of policing in Queensland, Australia. It first started in 1893 as a collection for police officers to study. It didn't open to the public until May 20, 1979. Today, you can find it at the Queensland Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street in Brisbane.
Contents
History of the Museum
Early Days and Purpose
On November 27, 1893, a police chief named Mr. Finucane sent a message to all police officers. He asked them to send in interesting items they found during their work. These items were often related to investigations. This was the start of the museum's collection.
At first, it wasn't a museum for everyone to visit. Its main goal was to help police officers learn about different types of cases. The collection began in a glass cupboard and later moved to a small room.
Growing the Collection
In 1895, the collection was mentioned in a newspaper. It described the items as reminders of past events. The objects were first kept at the Petrie Terrace Police Depot. Police officers had to see the display as part of their training.
By the 1930s, the museum was still at Petrie Terrace. In 1934, the Police Commissioner, Cecil James Carroll, asked for more items to be added. Newspapers wrote about the museum during this time. They often focused on the unusual items in the collection.
New Caretakers and Public Displays
On July 13, 1949, Detective Constable Les Bardwell took charge of the collection. He was part of the Criminal Investigation Branch. Bardwell wanted to organize the items and display them like a proper museum. He also had a large collection of firearms.
Bardwell was eager to share the collection with more people. In September 1949, he asked for display cases. These were used for exhibits at the annual Royal National Exhibition, now called the Ekka. Many people still remember the police display at this show. It was known for being full of interesting objects.
Opening to the Public
In February 1978, Commissioner Terry Lewis approved forming a museum committee. This group's job was to sort through the collection. They decided what to keep and what to display.
On May 20, 1979, the "new" Police Museum officially opened. It was located on the 7th floor of Forbes House. At first, you couldn't just walk in. You had to book a group visit.
In 1980, the museum started opening to the public on Wednesday afternoons. In 1981, Ross Chippindall became the part-time curator. Even though he wasn't trained in museum work, he was great at finding new items. By the end of 1982, 4,000 people had visited. The museum also set up displays at school events and country shows.
In 1985, Sergeant Bob Good temporarily managed the museum. He helped improve the displays and organize the collection. In 1986, Gabrielle Flynn became the full-time curator. She had skills in history and education. The museum then started opening for five and a half hours each week.
A New Home and Growth
By the late 1980s, plans were made for a new Police Headquarters on Roma Street. This new building would include a special home for the museum. The new building and museum opened in August 1990.
The display area was divided into six themed sections. These included Heritage, Crime, Technology, Developments, Murder!, and Crisis. The museum even won awards for its colorful design. Gabrielle Flynn, the curator, was very busy. She hosted school groups, created photo displays, and answered questions about police history. The museum was now open every weekday.
Since 1997, the museum has grown even more. It now has five staff members. Its education programs are very popular. More than 13,000 visitors come to the museum every year. It also opens on the last Sunday of the month (from February to November). On these Sundays, there are talks about police history and current policing.
In 2009, Commissioner Bob Atkinson suggested creating a complete list of all Queensland police officers. In 2014, this list was published as part of the Queensland Police Service's 150th anniversary. It had about 30,000 names. You can see it at the museum. A part of the list is also available online for officers who started before 1975.
See also
- History of the Queensland Police
