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Dubai Police Museum
History of Dubai Police Force since 1956 — equipment, uniforms, criminal cases, social history
About
The building is shaped like a police cap. Inside: everything from Dubai's first police computer to a room of confiscated smuggling devices.
Opened on November 19, 1987, the Dubai Police Museum is located inside Dubai Police Headquarters in Al Twar 1. The building is shaped like a police officer's cap. The museum documents the history and development of the Dubai Police Force since its founding in 1956 across seven exhibit sections: military and technical equipment, investigative techniques, criminal evidence, community engagement, drug enforcement, female police force history and Gulf Cooperation Council police exhibits. Collections include historic uniforms, weapons, early communication devices, Dubai's first police computer, anti-riot gear, confiscated drug trafficking paraphernalia, handicrafts made by prisoners, and portraits of Dubai's rulers since 1968. Visits begin with a 16-minute introductory film subtitled in English. Listed in the International Council of Museums Arabic Museums record since 1995. A visitor permit must be obtained in advance through the Dubai Police website.
Why this museum matters
Exhibo editorial
The building is shaped like a police officer's cap, which sets the tone. Dubai Police Museum opened in 1987 inside the police headquarters in Al Twar — not a neighbourhood most tourists pass through — and has been quietly documenting the history of one of the world's most scrutinised police forces ever since. The museum's range is wider than the name suggests. Seven exhibit sections cover everything from the force's founding in 1956 — three days after which, according to the introductory film, a commercial robbery was solved — to drug enforcement methods, the history of the female police division, prisoner-made handicrafts, and a room of confiscated items revealing the creativity of smuggling attempts. Dubai's first police computer is here. So are portraits of the city's rulers since 1968 and Gulf Cooperation Council police exhibits that situate Dubai within a regional policing context.
Visit
Hours, tickets, and directions for Dubai Police Museum.
Address
Dubai Police Headquarters, Al Twar 1, Dubai
Free admission days
- Visitor permit required in advance. Some captions in Arabic only — staff happy to explain in English.