J is for Jail and Justice Attractions

Want to explore the darker side of social history? Many old prisons in the UK have opened their doors to visitors and put their grisly pasts on display. You can learn about the most notorious of criminals, the wrongfully imprisoned, the executed and the terrible conditions many of them lived and died in. Several of these prison attractions offer tours events such as ghost tours or even sleepovers in the cells. Prison Museums are a wonderful welcoming group visit One of England's most famous prisons, Dartmoor has been a prison for over 200 years, situated on the windswept and foggy moors.

The prison museum is not your typical modern museum with stark lighting, gleaming surfaces and sterile out-of-context exhibits. It is a quirky, slightly ramshackle place which makes it even more appealing. Exhibits include objects made by the prisoners out of bone, prisoner and guard uniforms, cells, items with secret compartments for keeping contraband hidden, handmade weapons such as knuckle dusters, shivs and shanks made from toothbrushes.

Bodmin Jail has been open as a tourist attraction for some time but was recently overhauled and now has a lot to offer the visitor, including an immersive 'Dark Walk Experience', Ghost Tours, After Dark Tours, Scary Cinema and even a hotel being built in the site for visitors. The jail has the only original Victorian hanging pit left in the country it's a fantastic place to visit.

The Metropolitan Police's Museum team look after objects, archives, books and photographs relating to the history of the Met since 1829, telling the lives of its officers and staff across London and beyond and the crimes it has sought to solve. The Clink Prison Museum welcomes many educational groups and visitors each year, offering them a unique opportunity to learn about social, religious and historical issues relating to The Clink Prison and London's Bankside. Many of these issues and events relating to The Clink Prison don't only represent regional importance but national and international significance. Step beneath the streets of Brighton and discover the Old Police Cells Museum, a rare, atmospheric attraction ideal for group travel and organised tours. Housed in original Victorian police cells, the museum tells the story of policing and crime in Sussex, and offers expertly guided visits that bring real crime, justice, and social history vividly to life. Group tours are carefully managed, with clear storytelling, compact layouts, and engaging guides ensuring everyone can see, hear, and take part.

With flexible scheduling, pre-booked public time slots, and a distinctive underground setting, the Old Police Cells Museum is a memorable, weather-proof experience perfectly suited to coach groups, societies, and special-interest travellers seeking something genuinely different.