Police Museum

If you are looking to tour the rich, historical city of Kolkata complete with an enlightening experience, Calcutta Police Museum is the place to pay a visit. The museum is a testimony to the establishment and development of the Kolkata Police. It is sure to leave you spellbound with a sense of pride and awe at the bravery of so many selfless civil servants, since time immemorial.

History of Police Museum

The plot on which the museum has been built was formerly the residence of the revolutionary Raja Ram Mohan Roy who was the founder of the Brahma Samaj and the harbinger for the abolishment of Sati Pratha from India.

At this house, Raja Ram Mohan Roy entertained his European friends and hosted meetings with his associates. In 1830, when he was migrating to England, he auctioned this plot through Tulloh and Company.

In 1874, this house was taken up on rent by the Government making it the Sukea Street Thana which was later bought by them after about forty-four years. A decade later, the thana was shifted to Amherst Street. In 1996, the museum was finally established.

Architecture of Police Museum

The museum occupies an area of about two thousand acres in one of Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s mansions which had wooden staircases and Corinthian pillars. The plot is beautifully surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens, and voluptuous trees sprinkled with the sound of various birds chirping around. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, North resides in one of the mansions on the plot.

Originally, the museum had three galleries which have been upgraded to eight. It houses memorabilia of the Kolkata Police right from its inception in the city. The museum has been divided into different sections for a panoramic view of its history:

1. The inception of Kolkata Policing in the 17th century.
2. Arms and ammunition over the years
3. Weapons
4. Homicide Squad
5. Lalbazaar Headquarters
6. Detective Department
7. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s files
8. Traffic guard

This is a broad overview of the several sections of the museum you can explore for interesting insights into the lives of the Kolkata Police.