Should Scotland Yard's Black Museum be Opened to the Public

London's Scotland Yard Museum (nicknamed the Black Museum) has exhibits stretching back hundreds of years and the Detectives of Scotland Yard have dealt with some of the most bloody and gruesome crimes imaginable. The Museum houses everything from Jack the Ripper artefacts through to desk masks, through to famous cases such as Dr Crippen, John Christie and the events at 10 Rillington Place, John George Haigh (the Acid Bath Murderer) through to the Kray twins and terrorist atrocities.

Recently Scotland Yard announced it was leaving it's current modern location and moving back to near it's original location, and there has been much debate as to whether it's collection currently in Room 101 of Scotland Yard should be opened to the General Public and be used as a useful source of income for the police service. Is it too macabre and gruesome, does it glorify crime or would you find it an interesting place to visit.

The Black Museum - Time Out London

Met police urged to open 150-year-old museum of crime - Telegraph

BBC News - Plan considered for first complete London police museum

History - Metropolitan Police Service

Chatter said:

London's Scotland Yard Museum has exhibits stretching back hundreds of years and the Detectives of Scotland Yard have dealt with some of the most bloody and gruesome crimes imaginable. The Museum houses everything from Jack the Ripper artefacts through to desk masks, through to famous cases such as Dr Crippen, John Christie and the events at 10 Rillington Place, John George Haigh (the Acid Bath Murderer) through to the Kray twins and terrorist attrocities.

The Black Museum - Time Out London

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I'm sure it's a very interesting place to visit. People are intrigued by that sort of thing.

The site of the original Great Scotland Yard is now to become a Five star Hotel. It was used from 1829 until 1890 and was where the Jack the Ripper case was investigated.

Great Scotland Yard to be turned into 5-star hotel | Mail Online



Great Scotland Yard was replaced in 1890 by Norman Shaw's much larger New Scotland Yard building on London's Embankment.



In 1967 the Yard moved once again, this time to a new modern office block in the Victoria area of London. The Current modern office block will be sold in 2015 when it's vacated and Scotland Yard moves back to Whitehall and the Embankment.



In 2013 it was announced that Scotland Yard would be moving back to the Embankment to the Curtis Green Building in Whitehall directly next door to the Norman Shaw Building and close to the original Great Scotland Yard from 2015.

Scotland Yard's new base designed by Google HQ firm - London - News - London Evening Standard

BBC News - Design for relocated Scotland Yard released

Aerial view of the new Curtis Green Scotland Yard Building on London's Embankment and next door to the Norman Shaw Building

DA Wins Curtis Green Project | Darling Associates

I don't think that a display of historical artifacts amounts to "glorifying" bloody and violent events, but serves to teach. In fact, to purposely avoid a serious examination of the negative events in human history, is to give them more allure than they deserve, and to try and deny a part of us which needs to be brought into daylight and dealt with.