Beijing Police Museum

The Beijing Police Museum is simple in style, with a solemn gate and tall pillars. It was the place occupied by Citi Bank many years ago. It’s easy to imagine bankers, dapper in old-fashioned suits and ties, bustling around, but the serious-looking guards who now loiter near the entrance provide an unsubtle reminder that this is now the Police Museum. The first floor chronicles the history of the Chinese police, from the early days when the new republic took over the old police station to the recovery from the Cultural Revolution. Also displayed are forensic tools and national security plans for National Day celebrations. The second floor exhibits more recent police technology, like polygraph machines and 3-D imaging software. The third and fourth floors have a memorial wall that lists all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives heroically, as well as an impressive glass display of handguns and mannequins modeling a series of police uniforms of history. There are some interactive activities inside the museum as well, like a simulation shooting range, a real-time display of traffic and road conditions, and self-help trainings for escaping fires.

Admission: 5 yuan, or 20 yuan for a set ticket that includes admission and 20 bullets for the simulation shooting range

Hours: 9 am – 4 pm (tickets are sold until 3:30 pm, and the museum is closed on Mondays)