VKR Brisbane police radio workshop test equipment, c1944.
Image No. PM3523 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
- History class. It was hard work. All those dates, places, names to remember. Museums make it enjoyable; there are no exams at the end of your visit, and in the case of the Queensland Police Museum, it’s a relatively short history commencing officially in 1864. And because we’re focused on policing in the state of Queensland only, it’s a compact geography to discover. We’ve had over 33,000 police officers in our 155-year history, so can’t possible display them all, but the featured stories tell of policing cities and towns in this tropical state, and they all make for fascinating reading.
- How’s the weather today? Balmy and humid, or torrential rain? Most museum collections are held indoors to protect them from the elements and this makes a visit during extreme weather a welcome retreat. Museums make a trade-off between preserving their collections and keeping visitors and staff comfortable. Objects require slightly cooler, dryer conditions to survive, and low light is best. So please come on inside for mood lighting and an ambient 24 degrees.
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Clerical staff, possibly police cadets in training, type up Fingerprint Bureau paperwork and fingerprint cards, 1967.
Image No. PM3656 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum. - Have you considered researching your family tree? Did your ancestors join the defence forces, work in agriculture, raise their family full time, or provide a trade or service? Many museum collections hold information related to our fore-bearers, particularly where record keeping was critical to ensure the safety and accountability of staff. The Queensland Police Museum holds some records of sworn personnel, in paper form or electronically, and can also help direct you to resources held by the Queensland State Archives.
- Museums hold unusual objects. From weapons used to commit murder, confiscated gang paraphernalia, police safety gear worn during unique events, like boots which saved the life of their wearer when he was electrocuted! Some museums display trees, trams, tropical diseases or tractors. The exhibition space is the tip of the iceberg of most museum collections, and objects are alternated to keep displays interesting and encourage frequent visits.
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The C.M.I Speedgun with radar technology was introduced in 1976 as part of the police campaign against speeding on Queensland roads.
Image No. PM3600 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum. - Entry is often reasonably priced, or even free.
- Children love museums because of the strange, spiky, furry, dangerous, marvellous things on display and the ancient stories to go along with them. Many objects we remember from childhood are no longer in use; the corded telephone with number dialling, typewriters, black and white televisions, record players … can someone tell us why they’re making a comeback? These relics can still be found in museums, and children are amazed at the different historic collections on offer, including objects their parents used to use.
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Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and the Princess of Wales during a walk through the Queen Street Mall to Brisbane City Hall in April, 1983.
Image No. PM4153a courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum. - ACARA, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, lists knowledge and understanding of History as an important component of Humanities and Social Sciences. The study of History provides opportunities to apply chronological methodology and the observation of tangible collections and intangible concepts developed over time. Skills in questioning, researching, analysing, evaluating, reflecting and communicating will enhance a student’s abilities in all aspects of their life, and visiting your local museum will help students utilise these important ACARA and life skills.
- Museums, art galleries and libraries, all part of the important cultural sector, work together to provide a different form of entertainment from that found on a sporting field or in a shopping centre. Labels explaining the historic artefact, photographic collection or painted masterpiece, and volumes of well researched pages on a library shelf offer a unique educational experience different from the often-questionable data located on the internet.
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Police Photographer Kevin Darch, with his Mamiya RB67 camera, with Detective and a Fingerprint Expert, wait to see if a fingerprint will reveal itself on the bottle, c1985.
Image No. PM3942 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum. - Been working or studying hard? Finding the inspiration to do so more difficult as you become tired? Consider treating yourself to a well-deserved change of scenery by finding a museum or heritage site offering a history you’ve always been intrigued by, or with content relevant to your career or course. It will feel like down time, all the while you’re learning new things and may just find the inspiration needed to progress your own projects.
- Museums are everywhere. You just need to know where to look. Here’s where the World Wide Web does come in handy, and for those in Brisbane, check out Brisbane’s Living Heritage Network for a network of over 80 local museums, heritage places, historic homes and gardens.
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Canary yellow Commodore VL Turbo highway patrol vehicle, c1986.
Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
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This list was created by Georgia Grier, Museum Assistant at the Queensland Police Museum, to highlight a few reasons to visit a museum today. The Police Museum is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb – Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“10 Reasons to Visit Your Local Museum” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode