The Vancouver Police Museum can be explored independently or as part of guided tours, which can be booked in advance of visiting. The museum also runs seasonal, historic crime-themed walking tours around the city, which focus on nearby neighborhoods such as Gastown, Chinatown, and Strathcona. Tours include entrance to the museum, where exhibits include old police uniforms, confiscated guns, counterfeit currency, and several important pieces of evidence.
The Vancouver Police Museum is a draw for true-crime enthusiasts.
The museum-led walking tours are very popular, so it’s worth booking them in advance to ensure a spot.
The museum also hosts movie screenings in the morgue.
Note that the building is not wheelchair accessible, and entering requires the use of steps.
The Vancouver Police Museum is in downtown Vancouver, between Gastown and Chinatown. Ride the SeaBus, SkyTrain, or West Coast Express rail to Waterfront station. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the museum.
The museum is open Thursday–Sunday, and closed the week of the week, and for some holidays. Get there right when it opens to explore it at its quietest. The best time to visit is between April and October, when regular tours are scheduled.
Though the museum was only founded in 1986, the building it occupies dates back to 1932. A designated heritage building, it originally served as the coroner’s courtroom, city morgue, autopsy facility, and forensic lab, where state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge methods were used to investigate crimes. The lab, which closed in 1996, has been left much as it was in the past, as has the old autopsy room, where original tissue samples can still be seen.
