Museum wins tourism award

27 April 2026

Police Federation chair Jess Davies has congratulated the team at the West Midlands Police Museum for winning the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award at this year’s West Midlands Tourism Awards.

The museum – based at the Steelhouse Lane Lock-Up - will also go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2026 which could lead to national recognition.

“I am delighted the museum team have seen their efforts recognised in this way,” says Jess, “The museum has proved really popular with visitors in recent years and I am sure more and more people will now take the time to visit and see what it has to offer.”

The museum’s heritage manager, Corinne Brazier, said: “Being recognised for everything we have done to make our venue accessible for everyone means a lot to us. It can sometimes feel like an uphill struggle with lots of obstacles you have to work around, but when you see what it means to people and how much they appreciate you going the extra mile, it makes it all worthwhile and it is just the best feeling.”

The museum received the New Tourism Business Award in 2024 spurring staff and volunteers into trying to make the Victorian building as accessible as possible to the public despite its distinctive style and listed status.

Some cells have narrow doorways and steps, others have display cabinets full of written information, and many collection items are protected within glass cabinets.

There was already an accessible entrance and lift, a slim wheelchair for visitor use and a handling collection encouraging visitors to get hands on with history but more work was needed.

A downloadable accessible visitors’ guide was uploaded to the museum website alongside key access information, such as where disabled parking can be found, the nearest changing places facilities and practical information about accessing the collection.

There is also information on arranging specialist tours for groups who require British Sign Language, or guided visits for the visually impaired for which a handful of museum volunteers are trained.

The reception area now indicates all the access tools available, including a digital rendering of the building.

To make what can be an overwhelming experience more palatable for younger SEN visitors, the museum’s education and engagement officer created Cookie the Cat SEND backpacks full of engaging and sensory items to help children feel calm as they explore. Added to this is a pop-up ‘quiet space’ tent, with even more toys to allow those who need it to take a break during their visit.

Within the museum itself, visitors may now spot a handful of Widgit symbols; communication icons with clear supportive text that provide a visual representation of a concept – in this case, where key areas of the museum are and what to expect.

The museum team are continuing to create new ways for visitors to access the collection, including a brand new audio tour – recorded by volunteers and staff of the museum who took the chance to share some of their favourite stories.

The museum is open from 10am to 4pm from Wednesday to Saturday inclusive with the cells also opening to large school groups on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Members of the Force can get free entry to the museum during the 2026/2027 season. Please check the latest Newsbeat article which gives more details.

Find out more and book tickets.