Located in the former site of the Citibank Branch in downtown Beijing, the Beijing Police Museum is not a famous museum but a good place where people can learn about the history of the capital's police. The museum has 7,000 exhibits on display, some dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.220). The exhibition rooms combine objects, photos, model depictions, and writings.

The Beijing Police Museum consists of four halls: history of the Beijing police, crime investigation, police functions, and police equipment.

History of the Beijing Police

In the hall of the History of the Beijing Police, visitors can see the salute guns and guard columns used at the ceremony of the founding of the People's Republic of China, as well as precious documents from the early days of the Beijing Public Security Bureau. One of the showpieces is a well-cut uniform skirt for policewomen. Despite being the first skirt to be designed after the PRC was founded, even today the skirt looks in no way outdated.

As the Beijing Public Security Bureau is responsible for the security of visiting leaders and senior officials from foreign countries, the museum includes a display of motorcycles in the escort fleet used by the Beijing traffic police motor-squad. The latest state guest security force equipment can be seen on the broad-screen TV on the wall of this exhibition room.

China's patrol, sentry, entrance guard, burglar alarm, and firefighting systems took shape far back in its history. The funerary objects unearthed in Shaanxi Province show the attire and weapons of soldiers and guards of different eras.

Crime Investigation

Located on the second floor, this hall showcased some devices and technology once used by the Beijing force. The fingerprint brush, the multi-wavelength fingerprint differentiator and the computerized image formation system and lie-detectors are also seen here. A life-size prison cell and a miniature one are on the west wing of this hall.

Functions of the Police

Located on the third floor, this hall is home to some interesting articles: the anti-heat bamboo T-shirt worn by the police during the fifties and sixties, the oldest clunker of a fire truck made during the later Qing Dynasty and the first ID card that was ever issued near Chaoyangmen streets.

Police Equipment

The Police Equipment Hall always attracts a large number of young boys, who linger to look at the weaponry and special police equipment. Visitors can see a large variety of guns, armored car containing 9 electronic emitters, a police uniform imported from France which can resist beating and functional regimental police attire equipped with blast-proof vest, tactical vest, protective mask and puncture-proof footwear.

Travel Information:

Address: No. 36, Dongjiao Minxiang, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Admission fee: 5 RMB/person, free to students

Open: 9:00-16:00 Tuesday to Sunday

How to get there by subway: take Line 2 and get off atQianmenStation, and walk 500m to the north gate of the Beijing Police Museum

Source: CITS