Old Police Cell Museum, Brighton

The Old Police Cells Museum, located in the basement of Brighton Town Hall, offers an immersive journey into the history of policing in Sussex, particularly from 1830 to the present day. As the main police station for Brighton Borough from 1830 to 1967, the museum provides visitors with a unique opportunity to explore the former police cells and learn about significant historical events, such as the murder of Chief Constable Henry Solomon by a prisoner in 1844.

The museum showcases a range of fascinating exhibits, including some of the original cells that still bear graffiti from the notorious Mods and Rockers era. The museum is home to an extensive collection of police memorabilia and artifacts, including one of the largest collections of truncheons and tipstaffs in the country. This collection, amassed by Alderman Caffyn over his lifetime, is on permanent loan to the museum.

The museum was the brainchild of the late Brighton Councillor John Drake, and his wife, during her time as mayor, adopted it as her mayoral project. The Old Police Cells Museum officially opened on May 4, 2005, thanks to the efforts of retired and serving police officers, council staff, and the support of the Brighton Princes Trust and students from the University of Brighton.

Visitors to the museum can experience the somber atmosphere of the old cells, where detainees once awaited their fate. The cells were condemned in 1929 as unfit for use, yet continued to serve as temporary holding cells until 1967. This was just before the amalgamation of Sussex’s five separate police forces into the Sussex Constabulary in 1968, which later became Sussex Police in 1974.

For those interested in Brighton’s criminal past, the museum offers a captivating glimpse into the city's history, from the tragic murder of its first Chief Constable to the cultural clashes of the Mods and Rockers. The museum not only preserves the history of policing in Sussex but also invites visitors to step back in time and explore the darker side of Brighton’s past.