NYPD Museum

New York, New York: The New York City Police Department is one of the most recognizable law enforcement agencies in the world. The NYPD was the first organized law enforcement agency in the United States with history dating back to the early 1800’s. The department has been through triumph and tragedy in their over 150 year of service and the museum is the one place devoted to remember the thousands of men and women represented the department throughout their history.

The concept of the museum began in 1998 when a non-profit group got together to begin the museum project. Up until then, the museum was housed in a gallery at the police academy.

The new museum was opened in 1999 at a location on Broadway in Bowling Green. The museum was privately run and donors provided much of the financial support to construct the museum. The original museum contained exhibits on the department uniforms, Al Capone’s gun, antique firearms and more items from the history of the department.

The museum moved to its current location in 2002. The new location was the site of the famous First Precinct Building on Old Slip. The first precinct is one of the more famous precinct in the department. The building was built in 1901 and remained an operating police station until 1973 when the precinct was moved further uptown. In 2001 the building was re-designated by Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the new home to the museum.

The exhibits of the museum occupy three floors. The exhibits include:

• Transportation- historical look at the vehicles used by the NYPD.


• Communications- a look at the voice behind the scenes of the department and how technology has changed in the dispatch world.


• Look of the Law- a collection of uniforms and badges from the department inception through today.


• Links to the Past- a timeline of how the department evolved from 1600’s to today.


• Heritage Hall- illustrations of NYPD on patrol by court room illustrators.


• Portraits of the Force-19th and 20th century photos of the department.


• Life and Legacy of Lieutenant Petrosino- look into the life of the commander of the Italian squad and the originator of the bomb squad.


• Jail Cell- an authentic jail cell.


• Vintage Weapons and Notorious Criminals- weapons recovered by the department as well as some of the notorious criminals that have used them.


• 9/11 Remembered- one of the darkest days in the history of the department, see how the department responded, hear the stories and see some of the items recovered from Ground Zero.


• Policing a Changed City- see how the department has changed their approach to fighting crime and terrorism post 9/11.


• Leadership and Medals of Honor- a historical look at the leadership of the department since 1845 as well as the history of the medal of honor.


• Hall of Heroes- a look at all those who lost their lives in the line of duty protecting the citizens of New York City.

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum also houses temporary exhibits and special events throughout the year. There is also a gift shop on the first floor to purchase NYPD logo items.

For photos from the museum, visit my NYPD Museum photo gallery.