28 Bow Street, Martlett Court, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AW
Bow Street Museum of Crime and Justice
Museum & collection
Place photograph
7.4
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Paid
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.4In the former Bow Street Police Station and Magistrates’ Court, the story of London law enforcement moves from the Bow Street Runners to the officers who worked these streets. The museum includes the building’s original 19th-century cells.
This is a distinctive piece of living London history: the museum occupies the former Bow Street Police Station and Magistrates’ Court, and its original cells make the history tangible. Its focus on policing, justice and the people who passed through the building sets it apart from a general history museum.
Atmospheric · Historic
Find your way
Open map28 Bow Street, Martlett Court, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AW
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
Explore the museum’s account of Bow Street policing and justice, then spend time in the original cells and former working spaces. Allow around 1–2 hours as a suggested visit length; confirm current opening and admission details before travelling.
Things to do
Explore the former police station and court
Use the museum’s displays to follow the history of law enforcement at Bow Street and the people who worked in or passed through the building.
Allow around 1–2 hours; suggested, not officially stated.
Step into the original cells
See the original 19th-century cells, now incorporated into the museum experience.
Join a themed Covent Garden walking tour
The museum’s tour programme includes themed walks exploring crime, justice and social history around Covent Garden. Check the current programme: dates, subjects, duration and prices vary.
Varies by tour; examples on the supplied page range from about 90 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · About 1–2 hours; suggested, not an official visit duration.
Quick visit: the cells and the story of Bow Street
- 01
Check current opening and admission information on the museum website before setting out.
- 02
Explore the museum’s account of the Bow Street Runners and the police officers who followed them.
- 03
Visit the original 19th-century cells and notice how the former station and court form part of the experience.
Half day · About half a day, including the museum and a guided walk if a suitable tour is running.
Make a half day of Bow Street history
- 01
Begin with a self-guided museum visit, checking opening and admission details in advance.
- 02
If available, book a museum-associated guided walking tour to explore crime and justice history in Covent Garden.
- 03
Check tour dates, duration, price and booking conditions on the museum’s current tour page; offerings vary.
Verified history
The museum is in the building that housed Bow Street’s Magistrates’ Court and Police Station. Its official account describes the Bow Street Runners, London’s early law-enforcement service, and the Metropolitan Police officers who later worked in their footsteps. The museum also interprets the station’s original 19th-century cells and the people who worked in or passed through the building. A supplied Heritage Open Days account identifies the site as the 1881 Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station and describes its history through the station’s closure in 1992.
Hidden details
The cells are part of the original building — The museum’s official description highlights its original 19th-century cells. They are a physical reminder that this was a working police station, not simply a museum installed in a historic-looking setting.
A museum inside a former court and police station — Look beyond the exhibits to the building’s former dual role: the site housed both the Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station.
When to go
· Choose a visit time that fits the museum’s current opening schedule; check its official website before travelling.
The museum is an indoor visit. The supplied sources do not establish seasonal opening patterns.
Weather is unlikely to determine the indoor museum visit. Check current access and opening information before travelling.
Worth pairing with
Museum-associated Covent Garden walking tours
A strong history-focused addition when a suitable tour is scheduled. The programme includes themed walks on subjects such as suffragette history and queer history; check dates and booking details before planning around one.
What to look for
- 01
The original 19th-century cells
- 02
the building’s former police-station and court setting
- 03
stories of the Bow Street Runners and Metropolitan Police officers who served in Covent Garden.
The story
Crime & punishment
Best time to go
Year-round; check current opening days before travelling.
Check the museum’s official website for current opening days and plan around the hours listed there.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
History lovers · Couples · Solo
Before you go
Address
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: Closed
- Friday: 11am-4:30pm
- Saturday: 11am-4:30pm
- Sunday: 11am-4:30pm
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
A public museum in the former Bow Street Police Station and Magistrates’ Court. Check the museum’s official website for current opening and admission details before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
Paid street parking is listed in the supplied place data; availability and restrictions are not verified. Public transport is recommended by the supplied Heritage Open Days information.
Toilets
Toilet facilities are listed in the supplied place data; confirm current provision before visiting.
Food & drink
No restaurant is listed in the supplied place data. Check locally for nearby food.
Check before visiting
Dogs
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Accessibility
The supplied place data lists a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating and toilet, as well as an assistive hearing loop and listening devices. Confirm current access arrangements with the museum.
Cost
Paid
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Bow Street Museum of Crime and Justice
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
