1. About us

The Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour for the United Kingdom. It is the oldest museum in the country and home to one of the great collections of arms and armour in the world.

2. Tower of London Events

Experience 1000 years of history at the world famous White Tower at the Tower of London, home to the Royal Armouries.

Special exhibitions

3. Research

The Royal Armouries encourages research into arms and armour and related subjects from all periods of history from antiquity to the present day.

4. Specialist Enquiries

Our team of specialists are able to answer all kinds of enquiries on the subject of arms and armour, related material, and of course its related history and the history of the Tower of London.

5. Hall of Steel

The Hall of Steel is one of the central features of the museum in Leeds. It can be seen from every floor, where it offers views of mass displays of arms and armour, over 2500 objects.

6. Robert Coltman Clephan

A brief account of the work and life of Robert Coltman Clephan (1839-1922)

7. Baron de Cosson

A brief account of the work and life of Baron de Cosson (1846-1929)

8. Harold Arthur Lee-Dillon

A brief account of the life and work of Harold Arthur Lee-Dillon, 17th Viscount of Costello-Gallen (1844-1932)

9. Charles John ffoulkes

A brief account of the life and work of Charles John ffoulkes (1868-1947)

10. John Hewitt

A brief account of the life and work of John Hewitt (1807-1878)

11. Sir Guy Francis Laking

A brief account of the life and work of Sir Guy Francis Laking (1875-1919)

12. Lt. Gen. Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers

A brief account of the life and work of Lt. Gen. Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers (1827-1900)

13. Sir James Mann

A brief account of the life and work of Sir James Mann (1897-1962)

14. Samuel Rush Meyrick

A brief account of the life and work of Samuel Rush Meyrick (1783-1848)

15. The Arms and Armour Society

The Arms and Armour Society is one of the leading groups in the world of those concerned with the study, collection and preservation of arms and armour.

16. Oriental Gallery

The Oriental gallery in the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds.

17. The Arms and Armour Society

The Arms and Armour Society is one of the leading groups in the world of those concerned with the study, collection and preservation of arms and armour.

18. Collection

The Royal Armouries collection consists of arms, armour and artillery dating from antiquity to the present day, fine and decorative arts, a special collection of material relating to the history of the Tower of London, a library and archives.

19. Collections Database

The object catalogue is a searchable database of the Royal Armouries collections presented through its image library and digital archives.

20. Fit for a King

Delve into a treasure trove of the past in the dramatic White Tower and discover an astonishing variety of unusual objects, including diamond encrusted weapons and the finest arms and armour from around the world – all Fit for a King.

21. Key Stage 3: Discover the English Civil Wars

One of the largest arms and armour collections from the English Civil Wars, ideal for students studying this fascinating period. History comes to life as students investigate our special handling collection and trying their hand at pike and musket drills.

22. What's On

Our summer events run Saturday 23 July to Sunday 4 September

Charge down to the museum for loads of summer fun. Come rain or shine there’s always something exciting going on.

23. Explore Littlecote House (without Flash)

Study the English Civil War through exploring Littlecote House. This section does not use Adobe Flash®.

24. Great Hall in Littlecote House

Littlecote House was home to the greatest surviving English Civil Wars armoury. Explore the photograph of the Great Hall and learn more about the arms and armour.

25. Colonel Alexander Popham

Colonel Alexander Popham was commander in the Parliamentarian army during the English Civil Wars. He was also the owner of Littlecote House, which was an armoury and garrison.

26. Leeds Events

Available every weekend
Crossbow Range
Jester’s Yard
Discover
Hands-on
Explore

27. Home

Royal Armouries – National Museum of Arms and Armour, keeper of Tower of London history, and the National Collection of Artillery. Museums in Leeds, West Yorkshire; Tower of London; and Fareham, Portsmouth, Hampshire.

28. Peace - Farewell to Arms?

Farewell to Arms? has been created in conjunction with The Peace Museum, Bradford. It focuses on the idea of CONVERSION – from war to peace, from weapons and armour to useful tools or symbolic images.

29. Fit for a King

See five hundred years of spectacular royal armour, offering a fascinating insight into the personalities, power and physical size of England’s kings.

30. Key Stage 2: Discover the Tudors

The Royal Armouries Museum is the perfect place to discover the world of Tudor King Henry VIII and his love of sport and tournament. Pupils can get up close to his personal armours, try on armour and handle weapons from the collection.

31. YouTube

See all of the Royal Armouries videos here in one place. These have all been posted on YouTube™.

32. The Armor and Arms Club

The Armor and Arms Club is the oldest Medieval and Renaissance arms collectors’ club in the United States, founded in 1921 by Dr. Bashford Dean, founder and first Curator of the Department of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

33. The Hundred Years War: A Century of Conflict Re-evaluated

Date: Saturday 29 September 2012
Venue: Tower of London

Bringing together some of the principal historians of the 14th and 15th centuries this conference will offer fresh new insights into our traditional interpretation of the conflict.

34. The English Civil Wars: The politics, battles, equipment and archaeology

Date: Saturday 15 September 2012
Time: 10am to 6pm
Venue: Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds

Examining the causes of the English Civil Wars and discuss in detail some of the most significant battles and its social, political and historical impact

35. Tudor Arms

A special selection of objects has been chosen for an exclusive handling session.

36. TOXOPHILY: ARCHERY FROM EUROPE AND ASIA

This seminar provides an introduction to the art of the archer in Europe, and an overview of archery in Asia. Each section will be accompanied by a handling session with original objects from the museum’s collection.