Following its debut last week as a temporary exhibition inside the Museum of London, plans are in the works to set up a new public institution to display Scotland Yard’s infamous ‘Black Museum’, a collection of criminal evidence from the Metropolitan Police Service.
The permanent museum is being set up by the Metropolitan Police Service in conjunction with the Museum of London and will offer a unique collection of artefacts including evidence from notorious crimes and criminals such as the Acid Bath Murderer, the Great Train Robbery, the Krays and the Millennium Dome diamond heist.
First established in 1875, the Black Museum was created as an education tool for police officers and invited guests. Part of the collection went on display to the public for the first time last week, in what will be an initial six-month run as
The Crime Museum Uncovered.
“The new museum will show how London’s police force has, since its formation, responded to the challenging demands of serving one of the biggest cities in the world,” said Stephen Greenhalgh, deputy mayor for policing. “It is an opportunity to tell the stories of not only the criminals, but the police officers who investigate these crimes.”
No costs for the project have been revealed and no official dates have been set. However, London mayor Boris Johnson will confirm the museum’s location by the end of the year, with funding being sought from both public and private sponsors.