Police National Museum in the Citadel

The Police National Museum is located northwest of the Grand Mohamed Ali Mosque. It was first open to visitors in 1986 and displayed a large collection of artifacts and objects related to the history of the Egyptian police to contemporary times . The museum's six halls houses different collections of police weapons from the ancient Egyptian period to present, extending to Egypt's Islamic era. Well-known crimes are also highlighted, such as the infamous Alexandrian sisters Raya and Sekina, who would lure women into their apartment to rob, kill and bury them in the basement of their home.

One hall is devoted to the police and Ismailia citizens' different struggles against the British colonization. Another hall displays different police logos and costumes from the monarchy until the 1952 Revolution. A collection of counterfeiting devices is also on display at the museum, along with the oldest extinguisher cars used by Egyptians in the 18th and 19th century.

During Mohammedd Ali’s reign the museum housed an artillery school. The terrace outside with its commanding view over the city was lined with bombardment cannons. A cannon was fired to mark the end of each day’s fast during Ramadan, which is still the tradition today.

The museum is small but still interesting although does not take much time to visit. The display depicts everything connected with police, crimes and criminals. If you look at the building itself from the front you will find at the bottom on the left side the stone blocks with lions carved on them: this building was constructed on top of a tower, known as the “Lion’s Tower”, built in the late 13th century by the Mamluk sultan Baybars.

The museum's six halls houses different collections of police weapons from the ancient Egyptian period to present, extending to Egypt's Islamic era. Well-known crimes are also highlighted, such as the infamous Alexandrian sisters Raya and Sekina, who would lure women into their apartment to rob, kill and bury them in the basement of their home.