New police museum in East Perth to cost $14.5m

The WA Police Force has flagged a multi-million-dollar plan to redevelop the old East Perth lockup into a museum.

An application lodged with DevelopmentWA shows a proposal to demolish the western side of the East Perth building and reuse the eastern portion for a museum and café.

The building on Adelaide Terrace was a corrective institution that has been unoccupied since 2013.

Partial demolition and adaptive reuse of the building will cost about $14.5 million, according to the development application.

The application also shows other options WAPOL has explored, including a $39 million plan to retain the existing building and undergo remediation works.

A WA Police spokesperson told Business News a not-for-profit entity has been set up to operate the museum, while the police force retains ownership.

The spokesperson said WAPOL forecasts the museum to be partially open by March 2027, to coincide with the World Police and Fire Games in Perth.

If approved and built, the WA Police Museum in East Perth will replace the existing exhibition in Highgate.

“The current museum volunteer Historical Society facility in Highgate is undersized, technologically outdated, and lacks adequate teaching, learning, and storage facilities,” the application read.

“It is also unable to properly display or preserve the artefacts and exhibits currently in [Western Australia Police Force’s] possession. 

“Although the WAPOL Historical Society operates independently, the new museum will provide a dedicated public facility to showcase WA Police history and heritage, integrating the historical society’s collection with WAPF’s own under the direction of a newly appointed WAPF museum curator.”

The application said the proposed museum would be a catalyst for the future growth and expansion of the police force’s collection and public outreach programs.

“The proposal is supported by an extensive building program of structural repairs, including the building’s concrete frame, roof, and services infrastructure,” the document read. 

‘As noted in the engineering report, the eastern portion of the building, while in disrepair, remains structurally viable, whereas the western portion is beyond repair within foreseeable financial capacity.”