Justice & Police Museum
Justice & Police Museum
4.5
About
These historic police buildings once hosted infamous criminals like bushranger Captain Moonlight and sly-grog queen Kate Leigh, as Sydney's police and magistrates kept law and order. Walk through the corridor of cells, check out the chilling collection of criminal weapons and hundreds of photos from forensic archives. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Central Business District
The Sydney Central Business District is abuzz with energy. Power brokers run to and from high rise buildings and after-work drink places, high-end shoppers tour venues like the QVB, and fine diners frequent the many celebrity chef restaurants. For a dose of culture, walk to the NSW Art Gallery, or visit the Sydney Museum. To escape the hustle and bustle, reconnect with nature at the Sydney Botanical Gardens or picnic lunch at High Park. No matter your interest, be sure to check the full calendar of events hosted by the city, from the Sydney Festival in January to October’s Good Food Month at Hyde Park.
How to get there
- Circular Quay • 2 min walk
- Martin Place • 9 min walk
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4.5
261 reviews
Excellent
109
Very good
118
Average
28
Poor
5
Terrible
1
Harry Y
Asheville, NC41 contributions
Mar 2020
This museum offered far more than I expected with its exhibits. Array of weapons used by criminals was surprisingly varied and illustrative of an earlier period. Well organized with use of actual court areas. Special handouts for helping describe facial features was a novelty for me and perhaps something to share with children.
Written 19 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nooneelsehasthisname
Melbourne, Australia45 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
We were passing and decided to have a look on a whim and discovered it was a very interesting and informative museum, well worth a visit.
Written 25 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tam K
Dubai, United Arab Emirates1,885 contributions
Oct 2022 • Solo
One of the best law enforcement or even government-related museums I've ever visited so far. Many historical papers and items from the Sydney Police are very carefully conserved, arranged, and shared with the public.
POV : jail rooms are quite spooky hehe
Everyone who visits Sydney must stop here, so well done and excellent effort, NSW.
POV : jail rooms are quite spooky hehe
Everyone who visits Sydney must stop here, so well done and excellent effort, NSW.
Written 26 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KCH
Sydney, Australia1,587 contributions
This is a small museum tucked away near Circular Quay (near Sydney Opera house) with a focus on the social history of law & justice in NSW.
The displays include images and objects on history of punishments and prisons from European Settlement to today, bushrangers, forensics, policing equipment and evdiences from a couple of famous crime cases. You can also take a look at the old courtrooms and jail cells as well. When I was there, there is a temporary exhibition on the Great Depression and the political turmoil of the time.
The museum has very strange opening times. It opens on weekends but daily during school holidays. So please check first.
This museum is part of the Historic House Trust. If you are into history, consider the combined ticket to the other properties.
The displays include images and objects on history of punishments and prisons from European Settlement to today, bushrangers, forensics, policing equipment and evdiences from a couple of famous crime cases. You can also take a look at the old courtrooms and jail cells as well. When I was there, there is a temporary exhibition on the Great Depression and the political turmoil of the time.
The museum has very strange opening times. It opens on weekends but daily during school holidays. So please check first.
This museum is part of the Historic House Trust. If you are into history, consider the combined ticket to the other properties.
Written 27 January 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allan L
Melbourne, Australia50 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Always interesting to stand in the places where history of significance took place. The original court room, police station and cells really add to the feel of what life would have been like for all those that entered the buildings (for all the right and wrong reasons). It was surprising to see the balanced approach of criminal profiles with plenty of notorious Sydney women on show. The original artefacts were interesting. In a time when we focus on violence today I couldn’t help but think it was every bit as bad (maybe more gruesome) back over a hundred years ago.
Written 10 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
150andrewc
Bunbury, Australia113 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
This small museum is as much about the building as the development of the modern day Police Force.
There are interesting and good exhibits, some disturbing artefacts used in bad times and some ugly crimes/history discussed.
The tour is worth joining and the guide informative although you can still enjoy the museum solo if necessary. Some parental guidance will be required for some of the more graphic photos and videos although plenty of warning is given that such content may offend.
A few more hands on displays such as 'opening the safe' would add interest and maybe some modern policing elements for final room.
I would recommend getting a Sydney Museum Pass that will allow you entry to four museums and make for a very busy day.
There are interesting and good exhibits, some disturbing artefacts used in bad times and some ugly crimes/history discussed.
The tour is worth joining and the guide informative although you can still enjoy the museum solo if necessary. Some parental guidance will be required for some of the more graphic photos and videos although plenty of warning is given that such content may offend.
A few more hands on displays such as 'opening the safe' would add interest and maybe some modern policing elements for final room.
I would recommend getting a Sydney Museum Pass that will allow you entry to four museums and make for a very busy day.
Written 11 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Art Y
Dublin, CA164 contributions
Aug 2016
Located in the Circular Quay are, this is a small, but interesting museum. It is an old Police Station and Court House which goes into greater detail about crimes/criminals.
Would strongly recommend taking the guided tour (30 minutes) at 10 am or 3 pm. One of the rooms is a refurbished court. The tour goes into detail about how the court worked back in the early 1900's. The guide provides stories about specific crimes and how they changed laws (i.e. why police carry guns, why women serve on juries).
The museum is only open on Saturday and Sunday. If you plan to go see other museums,Museum of Sydney, Hyde Park Barracks (strongly recommend), and Susannah Place, you should purchase a Sydney Museum Pass. Each exhibit is $10, but a pass, $18, allows you to see all 4 exhibits.
Would strongly recommend taking the guided tour (30 minutes) at 10 am or 3 pm. One of the rooms is a refurbished court. The tour goes into detail about how the court worked back in the early 1900's. The guide provides stories about specific crimes and how they changed laws (i.e. why police carry guns, why women serve on juries).
The museum is only open on Saturday and Sunday. If you plan to go see other museums,Museum of Sydney, Hyde Park Barracks (strongly recommend), and Susannah Place, you should purchase a Sydney Museum Pass. Each exhibit is $10, but a pass, $18, allows you to see all 4 exhibits.
Written 28 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Troy L
Draper, UT33 contributions
July 2016
A visit to the Justice and Police Museum is a good distraction for 1-2 hours. The Museum is open only on the weekends so you have time your visit if this is on the to do list. The museum is included with a few of the passes you can buy for multiple activities. It is centrally located next to Circular Quay. The depictions both in photo and in words of the crimes committed by the locals over the past century at times were intense and gruesome. Probably not best for anyone under 13 unless you are comfortable having them witness photographs of dead bodies and reading about nice "aunts" that enjoyed poising family members with arsenic. However, it did provide a nice view into common life in the community. It is a well documented museum and it stays true to its design and purpose. It isn't over commercialized or misguided. Be sensitive to the museums stated purposes when considering attending if you have smaller children.
Written 9 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PlatinumByChoice
Cypress, TX68 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
This place is not for the faint of heart as it deals with crime and death. The museum tells the story never told of criminals of times past. They have some unbelievable pictures and artifacts from some of Sydney's worst criminals. It tells the story of the police in Sydney from the beginning to today. It is small but worth the small price of admission.
Written 22 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndrewForest
14 contributions
Jan 2016 • Solo
The photo's from the forensic department of the NSW Police are both eerie and poignant.
The mug shots are completely unexpected. The suspects are in casual poses, and as the commentary stated look like the are happy to be photographed.
The Peter Doyle commentary whilst a bit earnest helps fill in some gaps - for example crowds appear at accidents but make themselves scarce when the photographer is taking photos of a crime scene. This gives the very crowded Sydney neighbourhoods of the 1920's and 1930's an abandoned almost post-apocalyptic feel.
Actually it is just interesting to see that whilst differently dressed the faces are ones that wouldn't look out of place in the Eastern Suburbs today
The mug shots are completely unexpected. The suspects are in casual poses, and as the commentary stated look like the are happy to be photographed.
The Peter Doyle commentary whilst a bit earnest helps fill in some gaps - for example crowds appear at accidents but make themselves scarce when the photographer is taking photos of a crime scene. This gives the very crowded Sydney neighbourhoods of the 1920's and 1930's an abandoned almost post-apocalyptic feel.
Actually it is just interesting to see that whilst differently dressed the faces are ones that wouldn't look out of place in the Eastern Suburbs today
Written 24 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What’s the gift shop like... if any, as a collector of keychains and touristy things.... this feels important to know
Written 28 January 2020
Cannot really remember detail but I suspect the usual stuff for kids like fake chains and handcuffs and fridge magnets etc.
Written 14 February 2020
Hi
I am wanting to visit the Justice and Police Museum at The Rocks in a couple of weeks with a friend, and am interested in a tour if possible. I can't find any info on tour times,only that it is $10 admission. Can anyone help
Thanks
Bronte
Written 2 May 2015
Couldn’t see anything about tours when we visited sorry... hopefully the museum might reply with some info for you.
Written 18 April 2019
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