The Museum of the Prefecture of Police

The Musée de la Police traces the history of the Parisian police force from the 17th century to the present day.. The 2,000 items presented, some of which are unique, evoke the events in which the police took part, memories of the history of Paris but also of France. This museum is one of the few free Parisian museums for all.

A brand new area dedicated to technical and scientific police work

The Police Museum was completely refurbished in 2020. It now presentss a new and exciting space dedicated to technical and scientific police from yesterday to today. 4 zones explain in a playful and educational way the adventure of the scientific police :

• Alphonse Bertillon, inventor of forensics
• Identification before bertillage
• The revolution in forensic techniques with DNA, fingerprints
• New techniques such as odorology...

It is also called "The Museum of Crime."

• Regicides, blood crimes, murders by poison, skulduggery or swindles...
• The cases followed by the Parisian police services over the centuries are displayed in the windows of the shop windows. of this atypical museum
• The Police Museum traces the history of the greatest criminals or serial murderers as Henri-Désiré Landru or Doctor Petiot who marked the spirits and the great criminal cases as the history of Violette Nozières which the press seized
• On the occasion of the visit of the museum of the Police force, we discover how mundane exhibits have helped solve big cases...
• Weapons of crime, evidence, anecdotes... a museum rich in crazy, dark, cruel and fascinating stories

The great police officers who have marked the history of the police force

• The Police Museum also presents the great men who have served the police for several centuries
• The Lieutenant General of Police Nicolas La Reynie who put an end to the Poisons Affair, Eugène-François Vidocq the former head of Napoleon's security brigade or Célestin Hennion the creator of the Tiger Brigades

A little history

• The Museum of the Police Prefecture was inaugurated in 1909, 9 years after the Universal Exhibition. It is the prefect Louis Lépine who wished the creation
• Some important dates: profound reorganization of the Parisian police force in 1789, creation of the function of prefect in 1800, creation of the corps of city sergeants in 1829, appointment of Louis Lépine in 1893, creation of the Directorate of the Judicial Police and the Directorate of General Information and Games in 1913...
• This museum has enriched its collection with numerous acquisitions and donations.