Australian Federal Police Museum
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is a diverse organisation which has a lead role in maintaining Australia’s national security and responsibility for policing crimes against the Commonwealth of Australia including drug trafficking, terrorism and high-tech crime.
As part of its international functions the AFP contributes to peacekeeping missions around the world and maintains links with overseas organisations through its Liaison Officer network.
It oversees security at Australian airports, and protects key infrastructure and high-office holders
The AFP also provides local policing in the ACT and external territories.
Federal policing began during the WWI era and a specialist protection function developed in the early twentieth century. Policing in the Canberra region can be traced to the 1870s with the first police service dedicated to the Territory commencing in 1927.
The Australian Federal Police Museum collects, preserves, researches and makes available the AFP’s policing heritage. The museum assists in promoting the AFP to the community as well as providing research assistance to its members, past members and the general public.
The museum also represents the AFP’s predecessors including the ACT Police, Commonwealth Police, Peace Officer Guard and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.
Curatorial enquiries.
Travelling exhibitions.
Publications.
Off-site temporary exhibitions.
The AFP Museum was opened in 1994. In 2003, due to a security upgrade, the museum’s on-site exhibitions were closed to visitors. A new purpose-built museum is being planned on a more publicly-accessible site in the ACT.
The collection consists of a wide range of objects including uniforms, insignia, equipment, flags, weapons, vehicles, motorcycles, forensic evidence, photographs and documents. Significant objects include a UN Landrover from Cyprus, a cricket bat signed by Donald Bradman and Prime Minister Robert Menzies, and a boat showing the imprints of smuggled drug packets.