Museum retains visitor attraction quality mark

Volunteers Tom Hughes and Ron Flowers showing off the Quality Assured Visitor Attraction (QAVA) status sign.

Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives has had its coveted Quality Assured Visitor Attraction (QAVA) status renewed by Visit England, the national tourist board.

An assessor from the Visitor Attraction Quality assurance Scheme (VAQAS) made an unannounced visit to the attraction this year and was impressed by the quality experience provided to visitors by the museum’s volunteers.

The assessor applauded how the volunteers helped to bring history to life by dressing in period uniforms, and sharing facts, anecdotes and memories with parties and individual visitors. Museum volunteers are retired officers or staff from local Forces and graduates or students from history or policing related disciplines.

He also praised the progress the museum had made since the last assessment with new displays in the cells and the audio visual gallery. The museum’s website, publicity materials and handling of public enquiries by phone and email were also commended.

Museum Officer Claire Mayle said: “Our volunteers play a vital role in welcoming visitors to the museum and helping them to imagine what life would have been like for police officers, criminals and the general public in the past.

“They have a real passion for the police and their work and this rubs off onto all our guests young and old. This has been recognised through the renewal of this accreditation by Visit England.”