5. The New York City Police Museum Preserved the History of the NYPD

In 1998, the New York City Police Museum was established to preserve the history of the New York City Police Department. Former Police Commissioner Howard Safir and the Alliance for Downtown New York set aside $5 million for the construction of the museum. It was criticized by some as “buying police protection” and Mayor Rudy Giuliani cut funding for the project. The project was eventually approved after the New York City Police Museum non-profit was created, and the museum opened in April 1999. Although it was ready, the museum was not officially unveiled until January 2000.

It was located at 45 Wall Street, but has been closed for renovations since Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and moved to Governors Island where only a few exhibitions have been launched. Exhibitions at the museum included “The Look of the Law,” illustrating the progression of police officer uniforms throughout the years.