Ripon Prison and Police Museum

Follow the story of poverty, crime and punishment through the three Ripon Museums.

The museum is housed in the former Ripon Liberty Prison which became Ripon Police Station.  

Enter the grim prison with whitewashed cells and barred windows.  On the ground floor is a history of policing in Yorkshire from the Anglo-Saxons to the formation of professional policing.

Tread the stone stairs worn by the feet of prisoners to explore the harsh and cruel punishments handed out to the petty criminal.  Sit in a prison cell and hear the door slam, turn the crank, have your fingerprints taken…

Visit all three museums to walk in the footsteps of past generations.

UPDATE:  The Prison and Police Museum will be closed until further notice.  We look forward to welcoming you back when we reopen.

In order to provide our visitors with a safe and enjoyable experience we are limiting admittance and all tickets must be purchased in advance.

We have taken additional measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our staff, volunteers and visitors.  These measures have been taken following Government guidance and following Public Health England recommendations. We have received our accreditation from VisitEngland which recognizes that we are following government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, ensuring processes are in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social/physical distancing  :

Social distancing measures
Intensive cleaning regime
Protective screens and signage

Gift shops are available in the museums and we ask that visitors use contactless payments wherever possible.

The Prison & Police Museum is open 6 days a week (closed Mondays) 10am - 4pm.  Please note there are no toilet facilities at the Prison & Police Museum.

Please visit riponmuseums.co.uk for visitor guidance and to book timeslot appointments to visit.