The Museum of the State Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, founded in 1912, is a historical institution showcasing the evolution of law enforcement in Rio de Janeiro since colonial times. Housed in a French eclectic-style building designed by architect Heitor de Mello in 1910, it features permanent and temporary exhibitions. These displays include documents, artifacts, and confiscated items that highlight the Civil Police’s role in the region’s history.
Initially established as the Crime Museum for police academy training, it opened to the public in the 1930s, offering a unique perspective on Rio’s law enforcement heritage. The museum contains collections such as the history of the police force, uniformed police, and technical police, alongside materials from significant historical periods like the Vargas era. Notably, it holds an ethnographic collection of Afro-Brazilian religious artifacts, recognized as Brazil’s first protected ethnographic collection by IPHAN in 1938.
The museum, located at R. da Relação, 40, in Rio’s Centro district, is a scientific museum registered with the International Council of Museums. Visitors can explore items like contraband seized during police operations, including weapons and gambling equipment, as well as objects tied to the controversial “Black Magic” collection from Candomblé and Umbanda traditions. Despite its rich archive, the museum is currently in a temporary space due to ongoing renovations of its historic building.
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