Justice & Police Museum
Museums
Daily 10 am – 5 pm
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Information
The Justice & Police Museum was originally the Water Police Court (1856), Water Police Station (1858) and Police Court (1886). Restored to their 1890s character, the building's heavy blocks of sandstone, spiked gates, winding steps and corridor of cells reinforce the Museum's themes of crime and punishment and law and order.
Sin City
Crime & corruption in 20th century Sydney
ON NOW UNTIL 22 May 2011
No city in the world can rival Sydney's tolerance for organised crime.
Professor Alfred W McCoy, 1980.
From crooked police, politicians and judges, through to the shysters,
hucksters and thugs who ran Sydney's sub terrain, few cities have
experienced such overt corruption as Sydney during the 20th century.
Organised crime held a grip on the city and corruption was rife,
infiltrating the top levels of politics, law and justice.
Focusing on the 1940s to the 1980s, the new Sin City exhibition at the
Justice & Police Museum will examine some of the audacious crimes,
fascinating people and various vice trades - from suburban bookmakers
and sly-grog sellers to narcotics dealers and flashy illegal casinos -
that bankrolled corruption.
By presenting a mixture of new interviews, short biographies, rare
objects and a comprehensive news archive, Sin City will uncover the
elements of Sydney that condoned and encouraged corruption, and expose
some of the popular myths associated with this celebrated topic. Sin
City lifts the lid on lives that were made and ruined by organised crime
including key players such as George Freeman, Lennie Macpherson, Neddy
Smith and Chris Flannery.
This hard hitting exhibition coincides with a hard cover book by the
same name to examine some of the big names and illicit activities that
once earned Sydney the sordid reputation as one of the most corrupt
cities in the western world.
Venue
Justice and Police Museum @ Cnr Albert and Phillip Streets, Circular Quay
Price
Adults $8, Child/ Conc $4, Family $17
Bookings
Tel: 02 9252 1144