Police museum reopens after three-year closure

A museum dedicated to telling the story of policing and crime in Sussex has reopened after being closed in 2023.

The Old Police Cells Museum, in Brighton Town Hall, shut because of management changes, funding problems and health and safety worries.

Opening its doors once again on Saturday, it promised to showcase almost two centuries of the county's policing past.

Housed in Victorian police cells, which were used from 1832 to 1967, it showcases the evolution of law enforcement, crime and justice from the early 19th Century to the modern day.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: "These cells are more than bricks and mortar, they hold the stories of the people, officers and communities who shaped Sussex policing."

Brighton and Hove Mayor Amanda Grimshaw said she believed visiting the cells was like going back in time.

"They are a true time capsule of our city's colourful past," she said.

The museum, the brainchild of late Brighton councillor John Drake, includes historic uniforms, equipment and photos.