Mission statement
The objectives and purposes of Winnipeg Police Museum and Historical Society are:
- to discover and collect any material related to the local police services
- to promote the research and recording of the history of the local police services
- to provide for the preservation of material collected and to ensure its accessibility to those who wish to examine or study it
- to promote the rebuilding and refurbishing of police equipment and apparatus
- to promote and encourage public interest in police history
Exhibits and collections
The museum displays artifacts related to the history of the Winnipeg Police Service, from its establishment in 1874 to the present day. Exhibits include materials from the pre-amalgamation period, tributes to officers who served across generations, and displays highlighting significant historical events and notable criminal cases in Winnipeg’s history.
Artifacts on display include early policing equipment such as handcuffs, batons, and firearms; historical identification tools including cameras, fingerprint records, and arrest photographs; and items associated with former specialty units and police vehicles.
Visitors are welcome to take photographs throughout the museum, including at the mugshot station, inside a preserved 1911 jail cell, on a historic police motorcycle sidecar, wearing a traditional buffalo coat, and aboard a restored 1925 REO Police Patrol vehicle, commonly known as the “paddy wagon.”
Membership
The Winnipeg Police Museum offers two membership options. One is available to serving and retired members of the Winnipeg Police Service and its pre-amalgamation police forces. A second membership is available to members of the public and organizations outside of the Winnipeg Police Service who wish to support the museum.
Volunteer
Do you have an interest in museum work, history, or policing? Learn about our collection while working with our amazing volunteers and providing tours for guests of all ages.
Research and archives
The museum maintains archival records dating back to 1974. The collection includes record books, police reports, historical documents, photographs, and arrest images.
Research and archive inquiries related to the museum’s collection can be submitted by request. Staff are available to assist with research needs. The first 15 minutes of research time are provided at no cost; a service fee of $15 applies for each additional hour.