You’ve seen the movies. Sherlock Holmes or some gritty detective gets a lead and says, "Take me to the Yard." But if you actually told a London cabbie to take you to "Scotland Yard" today, you might end up at a luxury five-star hotel or standing awkwardly in front of a high-security office block with a spinning silver sign.
The truth is, the location of Scotland Yard is a bit of a moving target. It’s not just one building, and it hasn't stayed in one place for very long. Over the last two centuries, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police has hopped around Westminster like a restless tenant.
If you're looking for the current headquarters right now, in 2026, you need to head to the Victoria Embankment. Specifically, it’s the Curtis Green Building. It’s right on the river, tucked between the Ministry of Defence and the Houses of Parliament. You can’t miss the famous revolving "New Scotland Yard" sign out front—it rotates over 14,000 times a day.
Where is the "Real" Scotland Yard?
Honestly, the original place doesn't even exist as a police station anymore. Back in 1829, when Sir Robert Peel—the guy who basically invented modern policing—set up the force, they took over a house at 4 Whitehall Place.
The front door was for the bosses. The "commoners" and the police officers used the back entrance. That back door opened onto a small street called Great Scotland Yard.
Why was the street called that?
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Legend has it that the land used to house a medieval palace for Scottish royalty when they visited the English kings. So, the public started calling the police "Scotland Yard" because that was the address they used to report crimes. It stuck. Even when they moved, they kept the name because, well, branding is everything.
The Many Moves of the Met
The police force grew way faster than anyone expected. They started with 1,000 officers; by the late 1800s, they had 13,000. They were practically bursting out of the windows at Whitehall.
In 1890, they moved to a brand-new, purpose-built castle of a building on the Victoria Embankment. This was designed by Richard Norman Shaw. Because they had moved, they officially called it New Scotland Yard.
- 1829–1890: The original spot at 4 Whitehall Place.
- 1890–1967: The Norman Shaw Buildings (the red-and-white brick "castle" on the river).
- 1967–2016: The Broadway building. This is the 20-story gray slab most people remember from 20th-century news reports.
- 2016–Present: Back to the river at the Curtis Green Building.
That 1960s building at 10 Broadway? It’s gone. It was sold for £370 million to an investment group from Abu Dhabi and turned into high-end apartments called The Broadway. If you go there looking for detectives today, you'll just find expensive coffee and very fancy lobbies.
What Happened to the Original Site?
If you want to stand where the very first "Yard" was, you actually can. Sort of. The original site at Great Scotland Yard was turned into a luxury hotel a few years back. The Great Scotland Yard Hotel (part of Hyatt) sits right where the old station used to be.
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They’ve leaned into the history, though. The hotel has police-themed decor, and some of the rooms are even styled after the old cells. It’s a weirdly posh way to experience police history. You can grab a cocktail where a Victorian detective might have once filed a report about Jack the Ripper.
The Current Location: Victoria Embankment
So, you’re standing on the Embankment. You see the Curtis Green Building. It’s a lot smaller than the old Broadway tower, which was kind of the point. The Met wanted to save money—about £6 million a year in running costs—by moving into a more efficient space.
Architecturally, it’s a mix of old and new. They took a 1930s neo-classical building and added a sleek glass entrance. It feels more "modern tech hub" than "gritty police station."
Getting There
If you're visiting London and want to see the sign, here's the easiest way:
- Tube: Take the District or Circle line to Westminster Station.
- Walk: It’s a 5-minute stroll along the river past the RAF Memorial.
- Photo Op: The sign is the main attraction. It’s on a public sidewalk, so you can snap a photo with the revolving "New Scotland Yard" text without getting tackled by security.
A Note on the "City" Police
One thing that trips up tourists constantly: Scotland Yard is the HQ for the Metropolitan Police. They cover all of Greater London except for the square mile right in the center known as the City of London.
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The City of London has its own completely separate police force with its own headquarters. If you lose your wallet near St. Paul’s Cathedral, you aren't going to New Scotland Yard; you're going to a City of London police station. It’s a weird quirk of British history that hasn't changed in nearly 200 years.
Practical Steps for Visitors
If you’re planning a "police history" walk in London, don't just put "Scotland Yard" into Google Maps and hope for the best.
Start at the Great Scotland Yard Hotel near Trafalgar Square to see the roots. Walk down Whitehall past the heavily guarded entrance to Downing Street. Then, head toward the river to the Norman Shaw Buildings. These are still there, but they are now used as offices for Members of Parliament (MPs). Finally, finish at the Curtis Green Building to see the current New Scotland Yard.
It’s about a 15-minute walk total, but you’ll have covered nearly two centuries of crime-fighting history.
Just don't expect to go inside. Unlike a museum, the actual headquarters is a working high-security police facility. Unless you’re being brought in for questioning—which I don't recommend—the closest you’ll get is the glass pavilion and the spinning sign.
Next steps for your visit:
- Check the Metropolitan Police official website for any public exhibitions; they occasionally host pop-up displays of their "Crime Museum" (formerly the Black Museum) at other venues like the London Museum.
- Mark SW1A 2JL in your GPS if you want the exact coordinates for the current headquarters.
- If you’re a fan of the architecture, look up the AHMM architects' website to see the interior design of the current building, as the public can't go past the lobby.