Explore the history of law and order in London - visit our new exhibition from 9 March 2026 to 25 February 2027.

In this free exhibition at The London Archives you can explore the history of law and order in London, uncovering the stories of London’s criminals, victims and law enforcers from the medieval period to modern times.

Drawing on our extensive archives, it examines how the growing city was governed and Londoners’ enduring fascination with true crime.

Discover how historical records can illuminate lives, homes and streets of London’s past - and examine cases involving figures such as Moll Cutpurse, Dick Turpin, Jack Sheppard, Oscar Wilde, and Sylvia Pankhurst.

Please note: there is no access to the exhibition from Friday 14 August to Monday 31 August inclusive as The London Archives will be shut for our Annual Closure 2026.

Interested to find out more?

Visit our exhibition landing page with additional resources about the history of crime in London: https://www.thelondonarchives.org/visit-us/exhibitions/londoners-on-trial

Join a paid curator-led tour of the exhibition on selected dates. Tickets for curator-led tours can be purchased on Eventbrite Curator-led Exhibition Tour - Londoners on Trial Tickets, Multiple Dates.

Discover our other events related to the exhibition on Eventbrite.

See our website for more details about The London Archives.

Visiting the exhibition

The exhibition is free to visit during our normal opening hours. (The London Archives is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and one Saturday per month. We are closed on all Bank Holidays).

There is no access to the exhibition from Friday 14 August to Monday 31 August inclusive as The London Archives will be shut for our Annual Closure 2026.

There is also no access to the exhibition during our Christmas Closure from Thursday 24 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 inclusive.

Please check-in at reception on the ground floor when you arrive.The exhibition is on the first floor and can be accessed by stairs or by lift.

You are welcome to turn up without a ticket to see the exhibition, but we encourage everyone to book a free ticket as it helps us to manage visitor numbers. Please notify us if you plan to visit in a group larger than 6 people by emailing ask@tla.libanswers.com so we can check capacity.

Please note: Exhibition tickets have been added for all available dates until 25 February 2026.

Description supplied by the event organiser.