Orange County Sheriff's Museum
& Education Center

Established 2004 in Orange County, California
"Preserving the Past―Preserving the Future"

Building Our Museum

From Paper to Reality

The Orange County Sheriff's Museum & Education Center organization was formed six years ago, with a dream of a permanent home that would serve its many planned features and services. The Museum project has experienced many challenges over the past few years. The Museum Executive Committee's vision and commitment remained strong for developing a facility that would showcase the history of the department and that would be a repository for precious artifacts from the department's rich history and a site for law-enforcement training, youth protection, and career-opportunity programs. The doors of opportunity have finally opened for the Museum, thanks to our valuable and highly talented partners and associates that have taken our dream closer to reality. The Orange County Sheriff's Museum & Education Center wishes to express its gratitude to Rael Development Corporation, Innovative Design Group, Ware Malcomb, and Amani Design for their intelligent guidance, expert subject knowledge, and artistic brilliance.

Design inspiration and language: - Step up to building entrance and columns to emphasize American judiciary and government building design - Dark hardwood siding at entrance wall and entrance steps to resemble an old historic Sheriff station - Star outline on elevation and entrance wall to relate the design with a Sheriff badge - Space for flag poles at the front of the building

Aerial view toward outdoor display area and café.

Program and space layout: - Lobby with receptionist area at building entry - Main building space (Grand Hall) to display a suspended helicopter - All gift shops related to lobby and restaurant - Restaurant with direct view to the front outdoor display area and rotating display pavilion - Guest parking and bus drop-off at front of project - General parking at side of project (option to park around the building if land area is large enough) - Staff offices with direct access from parking area - Outdoor activity and training spaces at back corners

Sheriff's Museum space diagram (25,000-32,000 square feet).

Aerial view toward building entrance.

Elements: - Preserve and reuse old historical headquarters Sheriff's Office arch entrance, lighting globes, and engraving letters at the café/secondary project entrance

View of the café/secondary entrance.

Auditorium concept drawing.

A Sheriff's Museum fundraiser is being planned to raise money to support the acquisition and development of a museum facility within Orange County. Please watch here for more details.