Vancouver Police Museum Showcases Over 20,000 Crime and Policing Artifacts

Columnist Ursula Maxwell-Lewis visited the Vancouver Police Museum and Archives, describing it as North America’s oldest police museum. Founded in 1986 to mark the centennials of the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department, the museum is housed in the former Coroner’s Court and City Morgue building constructed in 1932.

The museum’s collection exceeds 20,000 objects, ranging from historic weapons such as brass knuckles, switchblades and nunchucks to early breathalyzers, traffic lights and riot gear. Visitors can explore the original 1930s autopsy suite, morgue drawers, and a memorial to fallen officers. Exhibits also highlight notorious local cases, including the unsolved “Babes in the Woods” mystery, the “Milkshake Murders,” and the historic Chinatown gambling dens.