Bow Street Police Museum Ticket Portal

In proud association with the Bow Street Police Museum. allow Herstorical Tours to transport you back to Edwardian London, and retrace the footsteps (quite literally!) of these incredible women as they marched, preached, fought, smashed, burned, and bombed their way to getting women the vote. 

From Westminster to Covent Garden, revisit the locations where the suffragettes held protests, rallies, and staged some more *ahem* 'creative' stunts.  See also where they were arrested and tried.

On this tour, you will see theatrical re-tellings of the stories of...​

·         Human smuggling involving a Music Hall star...

·         Vandalism in the National Gallery...

·         A disabled, working-class suffragette of the East End...

·         A refugee singer and actress who became an arsonist...

·         An Indian Princess who joined the cause...

...and many more!

The tour includes 50% off your entry fee to the Bow Street Police Museum, where you can learn more about the suffragettes and their brushes with the law in London.

Herstorical tours  are guided walking tours with a difference. Created and led by Maria, a performer, and storyteller, the tours focus on women's stories in London's history and bring those stories to life using acting, comedy, and fun!  With a special focus on the dark and curious underbelly of London's past along with the 'forgotten' women, exploring the hidden nooks and crannies of the city whilst introducing you to the characters that created 'herstory' there.  Herstorical tours aim to educate on sensitive historical subjects with the right balance of respect and entertainment.

Duration: approximately 120 minutes.

Price: £18.50/ £14.80 Friends

Please Note

This tour is an outside walking tour.

Light rain or a moderate breeze will not cancel the tour.

There will be no access to public toilets once the tour begins.

There is no seating available along the tour route.

The tour follows a set route along public pavements, via road crossings and through some pedestrianised spaces.

We aim to avoid steps and large curbs, however due to the ever-changing nature of London’s streets we cannot guarantee that the route will always remain entirely step-free.

Bow Street has seen all sorts of protestors pass through its cells and courts, from xenophobic footmen of the 18th century descending on the magistrate’s house en masse, discontented theatre-goers drowning out performances every night for weeks and window-smashing suffragettes demanding votes for women.

But when does a protestor become a rioter? When does a crowd become a mob? And how does law enforcement know where to draw the line?

Follow in the footsteps of these historical events, as we explore the causes of the disaffected, how law enforcement reacted and ask, crucially, did they make any difference?

Duration: approximately 90 minutes.

Conditions of entry: you must be 18 years or over to attend this tour. If you would like to book a ticket for anyone aged 16 – 17 years, you must contact the Museum in advance info@bowstreetpolicemuseum.org.uk 

Prices: £15 / £14 concession / £12.00 Friends of Bow Street Police Museum (Your ticket also includes a 50% discount on future admission to Bow Street Police Museum which can be booked and paid for on the day)

Please Note

This tour is an outside walking tour.

Light rain or a moderate breeze will not cancel the tour.

There will be no access to public toilets once the tour begins.

There is no seating available along the tour route.

The tour follows a set route around the Covent Garden area along public pavements, via road crossings and through some pedestrianised spaces.

We aim to avoid steps and large curbs, however due to the ever-changing nature of London’s streets we cannot guarantee that the route will always remain entirely step-free.

From the Molly Houses of the 18th century, to the arrest and trial of Oscar Wilde, to the laws protecting LGBTQ+ people today, explore the rich history of Covent Garden with this Bow Street Police Museum Walking Tour. Discover how law and order governed the lives of queer identifying people throughout history and hear the stories of the people who dared to be themselves. 

Duration: approximately 90 minutes.

Conditions of entry: you must be 18 years or over to attend this tour. If you would like to book a ticket for anyone aged 16 – 17 years, you must contact the Museum in advance info@bowstreetpolicemuseum.org.uk 

Prices: £15 / £14 concession / £12.00 Friends of Bow Street Police Museum (Your ticket also includes a 50% discount on future admission to Bow Street Police Museum which can be booked and paid for on the day)

Please Note

This tour is an outside walking tour.

Light rain or a moderate breeze will not cancel the tour.

There will be no access to public toilets once the tour begins.

There is no seating available along the tour route.

The tour follows a set route around the Covent Garden area along public pavements, via road crossings and through some pedestrianised spaces.

We aim to avoid steps and large curbs, however due to the ever-changing nature of London’s streets we cannot guarantee that the route will always remain entirely step-free.

STAGES & CELLS: Crime and Theatre in Covent Garden

Join our walking tour through the historic streets of Covent Garden and uncover the stories of crime and theatre that made the area what it is today.

In the 17th century, Bow Street was a quiet, residential area for the well-to-do. However, the arrival of the theatres ushered in a new era of bustling crowds, pickpockets, highwaymen, murderers, sex workers, gin palaces and unbridled decadence, leading to the necessity of London’s first police force – the notorious Bow Street Runners.

Some of the stories you’ll discover on this tour include the tale of the infamous Charles Macklin, who used his acting skills to literally get away with murder, and the bizarre instance when Bow Street Police Officers tried to blend in with the chorus on the Royal Opera House stage to foil a diamond heist.  

Hear these stories and more on this co-production tour between Bow Street Police Museum and the Royal Opera House.

Please note: This tour does not enter the Royal Opera House or the Bow Street Police Museum. The tour takes place outside in Covent Garden in all weathers. The meeting point for this tour is outside the Bow Street Police Museum in Martlett Court, down the side of 28 Bow Street.

Your ticket also includes a 50% discount on Standard Admission to Bow Street Police Museum and 10% off in the Royal Opera House Cafe or Bow Street Tavern.

Duration: approximately 75 minutes.

Conditions of entry: you must be 18 years or over to attend this tour. If you would like to book a ticket for anyone aged 16 – 17 years, you must contact the Museum in advance info@bowstreetpolicemuseum.org.uk 

Prices: £15 / £14 concession / £12.00 Friends of Bow Street Police Museum (Your ticket also includes a 50% discount on future admission to Bow Street Police Museum which can be booked and paid for on the day)

Please Note

This tour is an outside walking tour.

Light rain or a moderate breeze will not cancel the tour.

There will be no access to public toilets once the tour begins.

There is no seating available along the tour route.

The tour follows a set route around the Covent Garden area along public pavements, via road crossings and through some pedestrianised spaces.

We aim to avoid steps and large curbs, however due to the ever-changing nature of London’s streets we cannot guarantee that the route will always remain entirely step-free.